April 8, 2008
Today is another day. I ate at a delicious place called Legal Seafood. It was quite pricy for sure but the ambiance was nice and I was right by a window which is my favorite place to be. I had begun to think my ‘gift’ had left me. I haven’t had too many chance meetings. I thought perhaps my attitude and presence had changed and I looked too crabby to approach. My gift, or sometimes my curse, is that I have "please come talk to me" stamped on my forehead. No matter where I am strangers approach me with questions, concerns or stories. My kids tease me. Allyson doesn't much anymore because she too has 'the gift'. But today on the shuttle back to the hotel I met Lois. Lois is here with her daughter who is 40+ years old. Lois didn’t want her daughter to make the trip alone. Pam is coming to Boston for inpatient treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. We talked. Lois talked. She probably would have sat in the lobby and had coffee and continued talking. After the fact I thought I should have offered. She mentioned things like, “walking on eggshells and being exhausted.” This was after I opened the door I guess when I said, “I’m sure in a way this will seem like a little time off for you.” “You know your daughter is safe and taken care of.” "So, now you can rest." She sighed and said, “Oh you are so right.” “When a mentally ill person walks in the room they tend to just drain the energy right out of the room.” I told Lois I would pray for her. And asked her daughter’s name. That’s when I learned it was Pam. I told her I would keep Pam and her in my prayers. And Pam’s 13 year old son who she is at risk of losing………..but for the grace of God.
Thank you God for my healthy children.