– her sight was
never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan’s once
optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in
frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her
husband Mark.
Mark was an Army officer and he loved Susan
with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her
sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the
strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.
Mark’s military background had trained him well to deal with
sensitive situations, and yet he knew this was the most difficult
battle he would ever face.
Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her
job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was
not too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark
volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked
at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and
fulfilled Mark’s need to protect his sightless wife who was so
insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Mark
realized that this arrangement wasn’t working – it was hectic, and
costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he
admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her
made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she
react?
Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified
at the idea of taking the bus again. "I’m blind!" she responded
bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I’m going? I feel like
you’re abandoning me."
Mark’s heart broke to hear these words, but
he knew what had to be done.
He promised Susan that each morning and
evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took,
until she got the hang of it.
And that is exactly what happened. For two
solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to
and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other
senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how
to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus
drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made
her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip
exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase full of papers on the aisle
floor. Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would
take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more
costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a
matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her
own.
He believed in her, in the Susan he used to
know before she’d lost her sight, who wasn’t afraid of any challenge
and who would never, ever quit.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready
to try the trip on her own.
Monday morning arrived, and before she
left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding
companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with
tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said
good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday . . .
Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better.
She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to
work as usual. As she was making her way out the front doors to exit
the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you."
Susan wasn’t sure if the driver was
speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a
blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for
the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that
you envy me?"
The driver responded, "It must feel so good
to be taken care of and protected like you are."
Susan had no idea what the driver was
talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?"
The driver answered, "You know, every
morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military
uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you
get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he
watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you
a kiss, give you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky
lady."
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s
cheeks. For although she couldn’t physically see him, she had always
felt Mark’s presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her
a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn’t need to see to
believe – the gift of love that can bring light where there had been
darkness.
I believe that’s just like God….always with
us….watching…caring for our safety….blowing us a kiss…bringing love
and light to our darkness.
Blessings for the day!
CH Mike