A Child’s Mother
A MOTHER APPROACHED ME ALMOST AT A RUN AND AS SHE GOT CLOSER TO ME AND MY THERAPY DOG PINK SHE BURST INTO UNCONTROLLABLE SOBS DROPPING TO HER KNEES AND HUGGING PINK WITH SUCH UNABASHED PASSION THAT I WAS TOTALLY TAKEN BACK.
ONCE A YEAR ALL OF OUR GROUP OF THERAPY HANDLERS AND OUR DOGS MEET FOR A LUNCH ON THE PATIO OF SHRINER’S HOSPITAL. IT IS A WAY FOR SHRINER’S TO SAY THANK YOU TO US FOR OUR TIME AND LOVE. I HAD JUST PLACED MY LUNCH ON THE TABLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
THE MOTHER APOLOGIZED BETWEEN HER SOBS AND TOLD ME HER DAUGHTER WAS IN SURGERY AND SO HOPED WE WOULD STILL BE THERE WHEN HER DAUGHTER RETURNED TO HER ROOM. WIPING HER TEARS AWAY SHE TOLD ME THEY WERE FROM ALABAMA AND THAT THEY TOO HAD A BORZOI AND WERE MISSING HIM SO. SHE FELT IT WOULD BE SUCH GOOD THERAPY IF HER DAUHTER COULD SEE PINK AS THIS WAS HER FOURTH SURGERY IN A YEAR.
SHE STAYED FOR HALF AN HOUR AND THANKED US OVER AND OVER FOR BEING THERE.
UP UNTIL THIS HAPPENED I ALWAYS THOUGHT OF THE CHILDREN AS THE TOTAL FOCUS OF OUR VISITS. THAT AFTERNOON A DOOR OPENED IN MY HEART AND IT BECAME SO CLEAR THAT WE ALSO BROUGHT JOY AND PERHAPS A LITTLE RELIEF TO THE PARENTS WHO BARE SO MUCH FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
I NEVER DID GET TO EAT MY LUNCH THAT DAY. BUT, SOMEHOW I WAS NOT HUNGRY. MY SOUL WAS FULL.
By: Shirley Littlefield