The Kindness of Strangers

It's been just over 4 months since I've walked without a limp. And nearly one month on the nose since I had knee surgery. It's frustrating, and incredibly humbling. The frustrating part is obvious: I miss my health, I miss my normal activities, I miss the ease with which I used to do things. The humbling part comes on two accounts: (1) I'm so clearly struggling to walk that sometimes people ask me if I should be doing so, and (2) I have been overwhelmed by the goodness of people surrounding me - friends, family, a ward family I've only been part of for 5 months, and many, many kind strangers I meet just once, but whom offer help and lift me up as well as the others.

One such woman was sent my way this week, on a very rainy Wednesday as I dared drive myself and find my own way into work for the first time in the wet post-surgery. This kind, older woman saw me struggling to stand out of my car, and offered assistance - and then kindly carried my bag for me (incredibly helpful, as it makes balancing trickier for me) and walked slooowwwly with me in the rain, unhurriedly allowing me to take multiple breaks and timidly find my way around the bricks and the puddles. She uplifted me with her goodness, insightfully saw both my physical and emotional need, and met both - with words of empathy and a hug on the emotional part, and left me better for it.

Another such stranger came my way about a week and a half ago, before I'd developed the strategy of using my car (or a stranger's car) to bear part of my weight as I found my way up a curb. I was standing on the street, staring at the curb, trying to gain courage, and unsure if I attempted it how it might turn out. And along came this man in his 40s or 50s perhaps, who caught my eye and asked me if I needed help. I told him I did, and that even though this might feel awkward and he didn't know me at all, what would be really helpful is if he would steady me from the waist and boost me up. He put his cigarette down on the sidewalk, boosted me up, and went on his way. And I was grateful.

Then there was the man who kindly helped me out when I asked him to wheel me to my car. And the woman who stopped walking her dog to boost me into work (I thought she was going to boost me by sheer force all the way up the entire flight of stairs; she was the kind of woman of action you would want with you in an emergency). And the woman who was walking her dogs outside my home pre-surgery and wheeled my luggage to my uber, which was also immensely helpful. Luggage and crutches don't mix well.

And so it goes, on and on and on. The children of God are amazing. And people in Virginia are incredibly kind. I long to recover. And when I do, I hope to remember when I see someone limping along to (1) not express fear or doom on their behalf; (2) offer encouragement and positive reinforcement and (3) offer tangible help - and continue to offer/ask until they let me meet their real need. Such has been the case with the myriad of friends who have carried in groceries for me, changed light bulbs, done dishes, moved laundry, changed my sheets. My dad alone was a powerhouse when he stayed with me for 10 days post surgery. I am so grateful.