Incident

I was in the middle of a bite of spinach salad when I knew something was terribly wrong.  My friend who battles a chronic disease affecting her muscles needed help.

She was choking.

We were in the midst of a luncheon at church, surrounded by legions of happily chatting women seated at elegant tables with fine china.  She gasped, “Stand up,” so another friend and I supported her into a standing position as quickly as we could.  Again she gasped, “Hands above head.”  I held her arms up and watched her face, seemingly devoid of panic, as she struggled for breath.  What strength, I thought, to yield everything to untrained friends in the face of this internal sniper. I watched her simply WAIT, the most she could do.  A nurse friend from an adjoining table joined our throng and also waited, ready to intervene if needed. 

Thankfully, after three cycles of elevated arms, she recovered.  I held her close then, the sweetest of sweet hugs, her hair soft on my cheek, and felt her warm humanness leak into my own.  In those few seconds, we shared frailty, strength, hope, and faith.  Relief flooded over me, and curiously, I was blessed.