The Encounter....

I like when I receive the unexpected gift of a reminder... when something stops my thoughts and stops to make me ponder on something that seemed to come from no where.  Realizing it was light to change your direction...

I normally don't discuss a lot about my hospice visits, and I can not say much about this one, but typically I always come out changed from when I entered...  thankful,  heart heavy,  light... even more baffled at our complicated creation in our humanness....

On this particular evening,  I tapped on the door, and entered.  I see a gentlemen sitting in his chair by the French doors.  The doors were wide open, he was sitting enjoying the evening sun on his face, and the gentle breeze that was blowing.   I approached him and stood beside his chair,  took a minute to take it in with him.  He told me this was the first time that he has felt the sun and breeze on his face in six months.   That because of his situation, there was little opportunity to feel the sun, to really enjoy the outside in six months other than a few rain drops on his face during transport.   That he was taking it all in,  pausing and enjoying the beauty of the evening sun. 

He then whispered to me that just experiencing this caused him to desire life,  to live....   

I have to admit, this hit me personally,  here I have many opportunities and do not pause, how must it feel to desire the opportunity but never get the chance because of the obstacles that are in your way. 

How the pauses to take in the beauty of the moment, awakens life....  the desire to live in the soul...

My dad has always told me that the sun on your face are the kisses of God and the wind is His hugging you...  Standing beside this man, taking it in, reminded me of my dads words.  Oh how the kisses and hugs of God stir the heart to seek to live....

Meeting this man on that particular evening has stirred my heart....  made me think of how I have the opportunity to stop and pause in this life, to take in moments of HIS creation.  That in these moments the heart/soul is renewed from the effects of living a life to fast....  How if we are not choosing life, we are choosing death....  there is really no in between....   How life is so busy that we are walking around in death rather than choosing to pause and take in life....  

I would like to say that I have resolved this encounter with this man in my life,  but I haven't....  His simple silhouette and whisper of heart pricked a place in me that I am not sure how to resolve....