Mary Answered

 

Yesterday I showed signs of having a cold, the first in I don’t know how many years.  I first noticed it in the adoration chapel, the runny nose, a couple of sneezes, and warm cheeks.  When I arrived home, I took my temperature, which was slightly over 100 degrees.  Yep, it seems 1) I had a cold, which I caught who knows where.

I went to the local drug store which had thousands of varieties of medicines, so I called my doctor’s office.  His office is now part of a chain, and so I got an operator, asking who I wanted.  I told her my doctor’s name and she commented “Well, it’s after 5 and he may not be there, but I’ll connect you“.  2) What I heard was a beeping sound; she had dialed a fax number.  So, I got into my car and drove to his office.

When I arrived at his office, the door was locked, but a small light was on over his admin’s desk.  I didn’t see her; was that a night light?  But I waited a few moments, and then I saw her.  I may have tapped the window, but she saw me and 3) Mary came over and unlocked the door.  I told her why I had come, and she invited me inside; I didn’t see the doctor.  She said a common medicine was a certain brand, which was not over the counter, and to get a nasal spray --- and sleep.  “If you don’t feel better, call me in the morning and I’ll fit you in.”  And she gave me her direct number.

4) I purchased both medicines and took a dose (although I couldn’t get the nasal spray to work), and at 10PM, I took a second dose and went to bed.  I slept soundly until 2AM, which was the time for my next dose.  Then I slept until 6AM, and with my normal morning meds took another dose and prayed the rosary for our country.  And I went back to sleep.  I slept soundly until 9AM.  I took my temperature again, and it was 96 degrees, and although I felt much better, I still had a small nasal drip.

Then, I thought of what Mary had done for me yesterday --- something she didn’t have to --- and went to a nearby store to pick up some flowers their florist makes.  When I arrived, the floral refrigerator there was empty.  Oh no!  But then he walked in, and said 5) he was early today, and would make me an arrangement in 5 minutes.

6) I took the arrangement to Mary and thanked her for answering the door for me yesterday.  She gasped when she saw the flowers.  She seemed (to me) as if she might be holding back tears, and then she said 7) “Thank you, Tom.  I really needed these.”  And she came over and hugged me tightly.

She said she had told the doctor about my visit, and he had sent a prescription to the drug store this morning, which I could pick up.  And I did.  The druggist couldn’t get my nasal spray to work either, but he gave me a double-pack to replace it, testing one before he gave it to me.  And I came home. 
8) I cancelled my Bible study today, and my dentist appointment tomorrow.

A sequence of 8 events led me to where I am right now.  Why?  Is there something I should do (or avoid doing) while I am home a couple of days?  I’ll pray about it.  But looking back at those 8 events, each dependent upon the previous events, I saw their unique relationship.  Each could easily NOT have happened.  But, they did happen, --- for me.  Or, --- was it for Mary, who needed to see that she and what she does is important.  Or, --- was it for someone else along the way who needed me in their life at just that moment?  Or, --- was it for the events I cancelled, which didn’t need me there for some reason?  The point of these thoughts is that our life matters.  We are not alone in this world, and whether we intend to or not, we influence other people, in ways we likely will never know or understand.

We are each a unique life, which didn’t have to happen, but God made us for a reason --- via events which happened in our parent’s lives.  And our God is a God who loves us each uniquely, like no other.  And we are not alone, not even on our worst days when we feel so alone.  He is here, with us.  Whether we speak to Him in prayer then, or he speaks to us --- like perhaps by having someone bring us flowers, He is a God who never forgets us.  All things, even seemingly the worst, are part of His beautiful plan of creation.  And someday we’ll understand that plan, when we meet Him face to face.  But, for now just thank Him, for everything.  Oh, and today you might thank someone for doing you some little kindness, which they didn’t have to do.