The Waiting Room (Lisa)

So, on this particular day, on a frighteningly, beautifully, ordinary morning we headed to the hospital for a routine CAT to check on my lungs and my anxiety was mounting. Would this morning be the morning where my world as we currently know it would shift forever?

Sitting in the waiting room I text my sister and asked her to pray with me. Donna suggested I look around the waiting room and pray for everyone I see in it. She is so good! She shows me how to hold my own concerns in one hand by opening my other palm to consider the concerns of others. How beautiful! She brought me into the holy presence of NOW, the NOW that lay before my eyes and ears the whole time whether I would come to know it or not, a free gift just waiting to be opened.

I searched the room ticking around in a circle, the young man who appeared healthy, bored and antsy, the middle-aged man who looked nervous, fidgety and very alone, and the very old couple, he with walker and she with a very bent back, being loving and doting to each other.

I prayed for each, God, be with them, just listening and looking at the scene play out before me, at the frighteningly beautiful ordinariness of this radiology waiting room and the people in it. Would the other shoe drop for any of them on this day? God, be with them. Be with us…

Then my mind emptied of all thoughts, a deep breathing in, a slow breathing out. I sat in silence, in prayer, and after a few minutes I became aware of this insightful poetic beauty that was always there, playing out before me.

I do not know if I can adequately relay this in words but its beauty brought me to happy soft tears at its beauty. The double meaning of the words exchanged, of the gates of heaven and earth, of the fear and comfort, ultimately of the sights and sounds of LOVE, of God’s presence in it all. I cannot show you what it looked like but as the first patient was called back for their scan, what it sounded like was this…

LARRY! (Tech)

Can I come with him? To help him? (old wife)

Yes

How are you doing this morning Larry?

Hmmm

My name is Joe

He opens the door

Holding it for the husband and wife of so many years.

They walk through the threshold

Together

STEPHEN!

Yes! Here!

Thank you!

With reverence Stephen grasps the offered disc in both hands.

Eyes locking with the tech, in a knowing and not-knowing yet look.

Yearning to know and fearing the secrets within.

Praying for nothing more

Or the miraculous disappearance

of another uninvited guest.

Stephen nods his head

In three synchronized jerks

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Willing it to be so.

And the old wife waits.

Patiently.

Crisply snapping the newspaper open.

Waiting for the call

To once again, help husband, walker

And Word of whatever is to come

Out the door

I had missed her return

On my own call back

to the other side

No bra or earrings allowed.

donning blue gown

Lying back with feet forward

sliding down, down

We, as in me and God

Together

We

Breathe in

Hold your breath…

Breathe out

Slowly releasing the Ruach, the very breath of God.

I pray for calm.

Ok your done.

Thank you

Don’t forget your Things.

You can get dressed now.

Exit left through the glass doors.

Good luck to you.

Thank you again…

And life goes on

So can I access my x-ray from this portal? the young man asks.

Wanting a peek

Inside his house called home.

Home for now.

Help me Lord

Give me access to Your portal, Your eyes

Help me peek inside

What is right in front of me

But so hard to see

Give me x-ray vision

into this house

of Now.

Amen