I have found that some days are harder to get through than others. It may be that I have less energy, or the challenges seem to weigh more. This week has been especially hard, because of my medical condition. I try to be as upbeat as possible, but when I don’t feel well, I sometimes can’t pull it off.
The other day, someone came up to me, and asked if I was okay. I explained, I wasn’t feeling well. She asked, if there was something she could do for me? I explained a little of what I was dealing with. She then began to ask questions. As I began answering her questions, the loneliness and pressure of dealing with my medical condition, began to release. I thought about why her actions had an effect on me. I had just been with a group of people, that I had known for several years. Many people looked at me, but there was only this one person that decided to act. This ability to notice and act is called empathy. We are all given the sense of empathy, but few people act upon it.
What she didn’t know is….I have felt imprisoned by my medical diagnosis. Because, my parents and ex-husband hit my head so many times, with shear brutal force, I have been diagnosed with severe head trauma. I now have constant migraines, brain spasms, double vision, and episodes of blacking out. I cannot put in to words how frustrating it is to know that the abuse, I experienced from my parents and ex-husband, is now the cause of my physical health being taken from me. Not only did I have to endure excruciating pain because of their choices, but now I have to learn to endure the effects, as a consequence. Everyday I look at myself in the mirror, through the lenses needed to counter the double vision, and I am reminded of how they broke me. My heart hurts with every image that flashes through my mind. I want to scream, but I know that no one can save me from this hell.
This person took the time to ask questions, and listen to me as I explained what I was going through, and the frustration I was feeling. She said, she had felt the impression to speak with me multiple times, but didn’t do it. But she was glad she did, this time. After one of her questions, I broke down in tears. I had tried to be strong too long. She placed her arms around my shoulders and hugged tenderness into my breaking heart. I felt peace replace my tears. I don’t know if she fully understood the blessing she gave me, by showing me her amazing empathy.
In life, we will come upon people that are struggling at different times. During each encounter, you may have an impression to speak with them, or offer assistance. The action that you do, or don’t take, can be life altering. The empathy that I received, empowered me to keep moving forward, even in the loneliness that I feel. My heart felt a time of peace and healing. I felt strength in knowing that I had been with someone that heard me. I was changed, for the better, because of her actions. No sacrifice is too great, when it comes to lifting another weary traveler.