"I prayed
as I was lying
on the stretcher
in the hall,
while they were
giving me sedatives,
before they
wheeled me
in to surgery.
I asked God,
please,
send Your light
to look through
the eyes of the doctor
and his helpers.
Put Your hands
through their hands,
so everything goes
all right.
And He did,
and I just thank God
that He has given me
this second chance,"
she said to me.
"I just
thank God
for everything."
She is elderly and
barely mobile.
She cannot walk
more than
the few steps
from room to room.
Her husband
also teeters
from chair to walker.
He is on oxygen
and she just
had back surgery.
Her conversation
is full of
endearments.
"How are you, habibti?
Are you happy, Sweetheart?
I love you!"
Or, to her husband,
as he teeters out
the back door
to sit on the porch,
"God bless you,
my Sweetheart,"
a distracted blessing,
as her eyes
follow him tenderly
across the room.
"If you pray to God
for something you really
want and need,
you will get it,"
she tells me,
seriously,
looking right
into my eyes.
Today I think
I have seen
true faith,
true gratitude,
from the heart,
more truly
practised
than I
ever have
before.
She told me she will
pray for my puppy,
and I thought
to myself,
a prayer from
such a true heart
as hers
will surely
be heard.
Such words of gratitude.She sounds like a neat woman. :)
ReplyDelete"How are you, habibti?"
ReplyDeleteHabib is love in Arabic..
Habibti is My Love in the same lingo..
Can those two be as I suspect Muslims?...
As such I believe you when you write..
Today I think
I have seen
true faith,
true gratitude,
from the heart.
Sweet gratitude, praying for others as her own strength fails. I think that is so much of what makes the difference between happy and unhappy people, the ability to continue to give and feel thankful in reduced circumstances.
ReplyDeleteNice gratitude.The way you crafted your poem is very admirable.Enjoyed reading !
ReplyDeleteI was very touched by this woman's simple gratitude. I provide home support for her, and throughout every single hour, her refrain of gratitude and endearments continues, to one and all. Yes, I believe they are Muslims. She has the most beautiful music chanting softly in the background at all times. Her entire life is a prayer. No accident she is in my life right now, to remind me to be grateful and trusting, even in times of stress and difficulty. Maybe ESPECIALLY in times of stress and difficulty! Thanks for reading!
ReplyDeletehello friend... thank you for stopping by my place today. it's lovely to find you here, with your beautiful poetry and your gentle thoughts. you should join me for imperfect prose on thursdays. bless you. e.
ReplyDeleteThis is so touching. She sounds like an amazing woman who has found the secret of happiness.
ReplyDeleteI hope your pup is doing well after the surgery.
Beautiful faith like this is so reassuring. It's a fantastic poem too :)
ReplyDelete