Everyone has a story...

I believe I'm an optimist.  I try to see the glass as half-full and I try not to dwell on things that I cannot change.  And on those days when this is harder than usual to do, God subtlety reminds me...

Tuesday night while talking to a friend about Ed's treatment another woman (who is an acquaintance) was listening and joined our conversation and was offering support and comfort (not that I was looking for it, but that is the type of woman she is).  In the process of our conversation, I learned that she has rheumatoid arthritis and crohn's disease (this is a woman about my age).  I've known from observation that she has struggled for years with health problems, I just never knew specifically what.  Later in the conversation, I also found out that her husband (who looks like the picture of good health) suffers from terrible seizures.  These usually happen at night and she needs to be ready to respond and care for him when it happens (while dealing with her own issues).  Everyone has a story...

Yesterday, while at CVS dropping off Ed's prescription, the pharmacy was quite busy so I was standing back waiting until someone was available.  This older woman, in her 70s/early 80s, stands in front of me and says (to no one in particular), "I just have a question"--like this justifies her cutting in front of me.  So at first I'm just watching her and wondering if, when someone is available, she is going to cut in front of me.  Not that I really care...I'm not in any rush, but we'll see.  Then as we're standing there, she begins to talk (again to no one in particular, but I'm the only one standing there) about "...what a day it's been...", "...haven't been home since 7 am..." (at this point I'm thinking "whoa is you")...  As she went on, she shared how her husband is in a nursing home right now, the total confusion about his doctor's appt that day, how she had a heart attack in February and her husband had heart bypass surgery shortly thereafter, etc. (I can't recall all the details).  But the point is that here she is, after having her own health problems, running around dealing with her husband's. Needless to say, when someone was available to help us, I let her go first.  Everyone has a story...

And maybe other people's stories are God's way to help you put your own story in perspective and help you get through the day seeing that glass half-full and remaining optimistic...