The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically the attractive young woman with a white cane carefully after each step. She paid the driver, and using her hands to feel the seat of the chair, walked down the aisle and found the place that he told her to be empty. After sitting, she put her briefcase on her legs and placed her cane against her legs.
It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four years old, became blind. Due to a poor medical diagnosis, she had been left without vision, and was suddenly led to the world of darkness, frustration, anger.
Having once been a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible turn of doom, of becoming impotent, subject to the help of those around her.
"How could this happen to me?" She expressed and her heart denoted a terrible anger.
But no matter how she had cried or begged, she knew the painful reality that her vision would never be recovered. A cloud of depression fell over Susan's once optimistic spirit. And all she had was her husband Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer, and he loved Susan with all his heart. At first, when she lost her vision, he watched her sink into despair and began to help his wife gain strength and confidence.
She needed to become independent again. His military background had trained him well to deal with delicate situations, but he knew that this was the most difficult battle he had faced.
Finally, Susan felt ready to go back to work, but how could she get to that place? She was used to taking the bus, but now it was very difficult to travel to the city by herself.
Mark offered to take her to work every day, even though they worked in distant parts of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and filled Mark's need to protect his blind wife, who felt very unsure of overcoming this aspect.
As Mark predicted, Susan was horrified by the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" He replied screaming. "How am I supposed to know where I am?" "I feel like you're abandoning me." Mark's heart broke when he heard these words, but he knew he had to. He promised Susan that every morning and evening he would get on the bus with her, as long as it took him, until she got it by herself. And that was exactly how he did it.
For two weeks, Mark, in his military uniform, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught him how to rely on his other senses, especially the ear, to know where he was and how to adapt to his new environment. He helped her make friends with the bus driver, who could observe her, and keep her in a position. He made her laugh, even in those not very good days. Each morning, they made the trip together, and Mark would go back to his office. Even though this routine was still much more expensive and strenuous, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan was able to take the bus by herself. He believed in her, in the Susan he was accustomed to dealing with before he lost his sight, who feared no challenge and who never gave up.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try traveling alone. On Monday morning, before getting up, she placed her arms around Mark, her partner to take the bus temporarily. her husband, her best friend. His eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said goodbye and, for the first time, they went through different routes.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday…. Each day was perfect for her, and Susan had never felt better. I was doing it! She was doing everything alone.
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. When she was paying, and she was leaving the bus, the driver said: "Man, I'm sure I envy her." Susan was not sure if the driver was referring to her or not. After all, who in this world could envy a blind woman, who struggled to gather strength to continue living the year that just passed? Curious, she asked him: "Why do you say that you envy me? He replied: "It must feel very good to be taken care of and protected as they have been with you."
Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again: "What do you mean?"
The driver replied: You know, every morning of last week, a gentleman in a military uniform has been waiting on the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street saves, and watches until you enter the building where he works. Then he throws a kiss, gives a little hello, and leaves. You are a lady with luck.
Happiness flooded Susan. Even though she physically could not see him, she always felt Mark's presence. She was blessed, so blessed, because he had given her a gift more powerful than the vision, a gift that she did not need to see to believe it. The gift of love that could bring light, where there was darkness.
What a great happiness to know that you have someone who loves you, and takes care of you at all times.
God observes us in the same way. You just have to receive it in your heart, it's never too late to do it. And you will realize that without seeing it you feel its presence; presence that gives peace (Exodus 33:14)
My wish for you today is to be blessed with this thought: "God loves you even when you are not seeing him."
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any
hear my voice and open the door, I will enter it,
and I will dine with him and he with me. "
Revelation 3:20
What a promise of God! we just have to open our hearts to him and he will enter, and he will create a communion between him and us.
