Optimistic Spirit
by Jerry Vintinner
The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically
as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully
up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location
of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was
empty. Then she's settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested
her cane against her leg.
It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four,
became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered
sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger,
frustration and self-pity.
Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan
now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless,
helpless burden on everyone around her. "How could this have happened to
me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter
how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth - her
sight was never going to return.
A cloud of depression hung over Susan's
once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in
frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband
Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved
Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched
her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength
and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military
background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and
yet he knew this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.
Finally, Susan felt ready to return to
her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was
now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered
to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends
of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to
protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest
task.
Soon, however Mark realized that this
arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going
to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just
the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile,
so angry. How would she react?
Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified
at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly.
"How am I supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning
me." Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be
done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the
bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it.
And that is exactly what happened. For
two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and
from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically
her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment.
He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and
save her a seat.
He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good
days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase.
Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab
back to his office.
Although this routine was even more costly
and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of
time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He believed
in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her sight, who wasn't
afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready
to try the trip on her own.
Monday morning arrived, and before she
left she threw her arms around Mark, Her temporary bus riding companion,
her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude
for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the
first time, they went their separate ways.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday ...
Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She
was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus
to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver
said, "Boy, I sure envy you."
Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking
to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who
had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year?
Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do
you say that you envy me?" The driver responded, "It must feel so good
to be taken care of and protected like you are."
Susan had no idea what the driver was
talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?"
The driver answered, "You know, every
morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform
has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus.
He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you
enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little
salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."
Tears of happiness poured down Susan's
cheeks. For although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt
Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more
powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift
of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.
Allah watches over us in just the same
way. We may not know He is present, but He is. We may not be able to see
His face, but He is there nonetheless! Be blessed in this thought. Allah
Loves You - even when you are not looking.
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