Day 28 - Dystonia and a Woman Named Ruth

Yesterday I met a woman named Ruth at the grocery store. I would guess her age to mid-80's. She asked if I had ever had the flavor of ice cream she had just put in her cart. It was a cherry cordial and looked delicious, but I had to tell her that I had never tasted it before. She was a sweet woman and we got to talking. She said that she had been having health problems and she couldn't gain any weight (she was very thin), which is why she was buying the ice cream. She and I talked for a few more minutes and she said that she had problems getting around. She told me that she used to hike all the time in the Smoky Mountains, but now she had to use assistance to just get around her house. I asked her if she wanted to know a secret. She said yes and I told her that I too have to use assistance to get around (I was using a cart to hold on to, so no walker was seen). I'm not sure exactly what she thought about that, other than she said that I was so young (that made me happy!) to be having these problems. I told her that I had just been to another store where I had circled the parking lot for what seemed like 10 minutes, just so that I could find a space with a cart next to it. She said she does the same thing!! We commiserated over running into things in our houses and just not being able to get around like we would like to. At the end of our conversation she said that she was so thankful to have talked with someone who understood exactly what she was going through (with the walking issues). I told her my name and she told me hers.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about Ruth since meeting her. She looked so sad to me, which in turn made me sad. But, I thank the Lord for letting me meet her. It was a moment for me to get out of my skin, get out from underneath my own problems and focus on someone else. I don't think Ruth will ever know how much our 10 minute conversation meant to me. It just goes to show you that God puts people in our path to strengthen us, to encourage us and to bless us.

It's moments like meeting Ruth, that make me thankful that God knows what He is doing. I very much dislike dystonia. I wish I didn't have it. But, through it He is teaching me so much. He's guiding me and upholding me and He's showing me that life goes on. In the words of an Amy Grant song "you just can't lay down and die. You've got to remember you're not alone in this world." Thank you Jesus, that I am not alone in this world and may I shine your light to others so that they too know that they are not alone.

So, if you think about it, please say a little prayer for Ruth. Pray that she will know that God loves her and watches over her and knows her every need. I hope that in some way Ruth knows what a blessing she was to me and that I'm praying for her.