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     One evening after dinner the nursing home was bustling with activity.  It seemed there was a crisis with every other patient.  I was in my room (right across from the nurses’ station) reading a good book.  Suddenly, a nurse came dashing into my room looking very abject.  I wasn’t due for anything that would require a nurse, so I wasn’t sure what she could possibly want.

     “Nancy”, she said, “I don’t know how to ask you this, and I can’t even believe I’m asking you this, but do you see that gentleman standing down towards the elevators?”

     “Yes,” I replied.

     “Well,” she said “his mother just died, and he is all alone with no one to talk to him.  He’s very, very sad.  I was wondering if you would consider going down and just talking to him for a bit.  I think he would appreciate it.  The staff is just too busy right now cleaning up crises to spend time talking to him.”    

     “Sure,” I said, and she hurried out of my room.

     I had to think about this for a few minutes.  What would I say?  Would he think I was crazy?  I said a prayer asking Jesus to help me say the right things and I headed down his way.

     “Sir,” I said as I approached him.  “I just heard your mother passed away and I’m wondering if you’re okay.  I remember when my mom died and I was very blessed not to be alone.”

     I put my arms out and hugged him tight.  He broke down sobbing.  But that was okay because he had someone to hold him now. 

     “It’s so sad”, he said.  “Her birthday would have been tomorrow and now she won’t even get to celebrate it.”

      “That’s not true, I said.  Think about where she is now.  She’s celebrating in Heaven which is way better than spending her birthday in pain in a bed in a nursing home.  Let’s sit down and you can tell me about her.”

    He opened up and told me all about his mom from the time he was a little boy until now.  She sounded like a person overflowing with love for her family so I could see why his loss was so painful.

     I didn’t have to think about what to talk about because he wanted to tell someone her life story.

     I guess this time God wanted me to be the life raft for this man I didn’t even know.  But so many times God had sent me a life raft to help me on my way.  His love for us is so genuine and He rejoices and weeps with us.