There have been many times in my life when people that love me have shown amazing kindness. For that, I am forever thankful. There have also been moments in my life when extraordinary gestures of kindness have been offered by people I have never met before…just at the moment it was needed.
You know how it’s said that experiences often come in threes and result in one related lesson. For me, some of those moments occurred over a two week period in January of 1993.
It was the first snowfall of the season and our sons couldn’t have been more excited. They spent the morning sledding down the neighbor’s hill for hours. The knock at the door and the frightened face of a child just a few years older than our sons alerted me that there was an accident. She explained that as they were going down the hill together, it became clear that the path they were traveling was headed directly toward a fence, so everyone jumped off the sled except for Jamey, our older son. Jamey attempted to stop the sled by extending his foot, jarring his ankle into the fence.
I ran to the site, we loaded him on a sled and pulled him home. It was clear that this was no ordinary break. He became paler with every moment and began to shiver so I called 911 and we road to the hospital in the ambulance, leaving our younger son with a neighbor. I called my husband, who was working an hour away and he started home immediately, meeting us at the hospital later. I also called my parents. My mother was a nurse at the local hospital and knew all of the providers there. I was so grateful to look out the window of the ambulance to see my parents car riding beside. They were so loving and so very faithful. My parents waited for my husband to arrive and left when they knew the result of Jamey’s ankle.
Jamey had broken both sides of his ankle and required surgery. We waited for the surgeon to arrive and at midnight, we suited up and accompanied our son into surgery, leaving before they began. Surgery went well. They installed four screws into his ankle and he was in his room by 2:30 am. It was a very long night.
The next morning at around 7:00 am, the nurse alerted us that the news media was present and wanted to do a story about the first sledding injury of the season. We thanked them and refused the offer.
After it was clear that Jamey had recovered from surgery, they issued crutches and sent us on our way. He was in a cast for the next four months.
We were thankful. Thankful that the injury wasn’t worse and thankful that my parents lived close enough to lend their love and support.
Two weeks later, our family was met by a horrible loss. In the midst of a terrible ice storm, we heard that my mother had had a heart attack and was on her way to the hospital. My brother picked me up on his way, while my husband stayed home with our children. On our way to the hospital, I sensed what we were about to encounter and began to cry. My mother had been through so much over the past few months; colon cancer surgery, chemo and radiation. My dad met us with the devastating news. We were in shock. She was 63 years old.
The next few days were filled with planning a funeral and managing the ice as we ran back and forth to the funeral home. Jamey was still learning the ins and outs of his crutches and the ice was not helpful.
We decided as a family to have all ten grandchildren visit the funeral home at the same time. This was their beloved Grammy and we thought that they would benefit from the support of their cousins. We were all struggling and it helped to know our children were possibly distracted by their cousins.
When we arrived at my dad’s house after the viewing, we noticed that our younger son Jeremy’s eye was swollen shut. We knew he had allergies to lilies but called the doctor anyway. Jeremy had had several sinus infections that winter so when I shared the symptoms with the doctor, he sent us immediately to the emergency room. Jeremy was admitted and put on IV antibiotics. The next day, they did a scan that discovered the sinus infection had permeated the orbit of his eye… which can potentially lead to a more serious situation. Life was overwhelming.
My mother’s funeral was the next day. My in-laws kindly stayed with Jeremy while I attended my mother’s funeral. I was thankful to have him in their capable hands.
Jeremy remained in the hospital having IV antibiotics for a week. I was by his side every moment. The hospital provided a cot so I could sleep in his room.
The many visitors helped to encourage both of us. But, there was one in particular that stands out for me. Because we were having difficulties with the phone in the room, the hospital sent a man to repair it. He was a very kind older gentleman whose smile lit up the room. He took time to entertain us with card tricks and humor, bringing joy to our very sad hearts. It felt good to laugh. When he left, his joy-filled presence remained. It was like a shroud had been lifted.
The next day, the phone was again in disrepair and he returned. It was the same wonderful experience.
Before Jeremy’s discharge from the hospital, I wanted to thank the man for the beautiful way he lifted our spirits. I asked the staff about him but no one in the hospital knew who I was talking about. It was as if God sent an angel to encourage us. I will never forget him. This happened twenty-six years ago.
I believe we are called to do acts of kindness. They are essential to being human. They can be very simple or a more complex gesture, but the result is the same. People experience love.
Jesus was a beautiful example of kindness. His life was devoted to expressing the love of His Father to all people.
Sometimes the smallest of gestures can leave an impact for a lifetime.
Show someone a kindness today!
Carol Marchant Gibbs
Stories Changing Lives
