How long?

On Tuesday I met an really interesting man. He was in a bed and when I saw him. I thought he would definitely not want to talk to me. He was wearing headphones and seemed to be completely engrossed in watching his TV. But, when I walked past his bed on my way to talk to the guy next to him, he ripped off his headphones, smiled a big, excited smile and introduced himself! His mistake was that he thought I was a doctor and he wanted to thank me for the treatment he’d received while he’d been in hospital. As we got talking, and he was very keen to talk, it turned out he was a really interesting guy. He told me that he was from Iraq and that, years ago, he’d worked for Saddam Hussein as his minister for protocol. He told me that twenty six years ago he’d defected. And now he was telling me how much he appreciated the treatment he’d been given during his time in hospital. He kept telling me that. I told him I couldn’t take any credit for it.. I told him I wasn’t a doctor. He didn’t seem to mind. We chatted for a while and then I asked: “How long till you can go home?” The truth is he didn’t know. It turned out he had multiple problems. He’d had one operation, which had been successful, but now he had to wait for more. In fact, only after his first operation was he ready to be treated for the thing that brought him to hospital in the first place. So my question: how long? didn’t have an answer. Or at least an answer that he could give. I’m beginning to ask the same question: how long? How long is this pandemic going to go on? How long until we can meet again in church in the way we would like? How long do we have to postpone the things we love to do, but can’t? How long until everything is back to normal? And I don’t even want to think about the truth that normal will be different! What struck me as I moved on to the chap in the next bed, was just how enthusiastic my Iraqi friend had been. All he wanted to do was thank me. All he wanted to do was to tell me how grateful he was for what had happened. All he wanted to do was to share his joy with me. Truth is, it really affected me. He had a great big smile. He had an attitude of gratitude. His enthusiasm rubbed off on me. It got me think about the way in which I am responding to another lockdown. It got me thinking abut how I might choose to respond to; how long? Truth is my meeting with this guy changed me. I’m wondering if I might be that person for someone I meet. I’m wondering if, because I live in a bigger and better story than the one I see in front of me, I can bring hope to someone else. Maybe you can too.