Wednesday’s Word

Walk Like a Blind Man

Deuteronomy 5:33: “You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.”

It’s hump day! Only a couple days before the weekend! Welcome to Wednesday’s Word, a time of sharing from my heart to yours some way in which the scriptures came alive for me and in me in this journey that seems to pick up speed the older I get! Grab your drink and your strand of faith and come on in!

So I have another train story for you from last week. It would seem that that is one of my major classrooms in the playground of life! Come with me to Los Angeles again. 

She was already on the train by the time I got on. I saw her struggling with her phone and heard her saying “Is it on? Is it on?” I walked to her seat, bent over to glance at her phone and saw her walking stick first. Then I looked at her phone that she was holding up, and I could tell it wasn’t charging, so I checked the plug. It was plugged in but it wasn’t talking with her phone. I unplugged it and re-plugged it into the other plug. It worked! Her smile was my reward. “Thank you.” “You are so welcome” I offered as I made it back to my seat.

I didn’t give her or anything else much thought as I sat down and pulled out my laptop…and worked up until the second to the last stop and I put my computer away and sat back to relax for a bit. The conductor’s voice startled me because it wasn’t over the speaker; nor was it giving instructions to us about the upcoming stop, with reminders to look around and make sure we have everything. No, instead I opened my eyes to find him right there…almost in my face!

“I need a favor.”
“Sure!”

Do you know Kathy?”

“Who?”

“Kathy,” and he pointed to the blind lady.

“Oh, no, why?”

“Oh, I saw you talking with her earlier so I assumed you knew her.” I just smiled

“Can you walk her to the tunnel so she gets to where she needs to go?”

I didn’t hesitate a bit. “Absolutely.”

He made his way to his speaker phone and I got ready to help Kathy.

I walked up to her seat and announced I was there to help her get to the tunnel. “Oh, great, thank you,” her joy evident in her voice. I watched her ever so methodically unplug her charger, wrap it and feel in her bag for its spot, zip up her bag and then she fumbled, hunched over for her walking stick. I almost bent down to get it but she found it right before I did.

She stood up and for a moment I felt awkward; after all, I had never helped a blind lady before. What made it even more challenging is I had all my court reporting gear in my roller-bag but it’s quite heavy and bulky. I wasn’t sure if I was to grab her by the arm or her grab me but when I felt her grab my arm, the unasked question was answered.

We hobbled toward the door of the train, and I almost tripped, and she asked “What was that?” I explained that I had a case I was trying to drag along that had all my court reporting stuff. Well, that opened a door for the awkwardness to leave and conversation to take place, arm in arm, her walking stick swaying in front of her, assuring her of her next step.

We entered the tunnel, arm in arm, her asking questions about court reporting and sharing with me that she had actually looked into it. “So is that what you do with your days,” she asked. “Some days,” I replied. I asked if she was going to work or was there some other reason she was on the train and she told me she was down here applying for jobs. She had to get on the Red Line and take it all the way to the last stop. I had to get on Red Line and get off on the fourth stop. This was no coincidence but a God-incidence!

As we made our way down one escalator, then another, and then one more before getting on the Red Line, it became apparent to me that she was walking as though she undeniably trusted me and it caught my breath for a moment and I couldn’t shake that thought as I got her situated in the handicapped seat and stood close to her until it was my time to get off.

Her presence never left my mind that day as I pondered the whisper: That is how I want you to walk…with Me, totally dependent on Me, even though you know not where you are going!

I am left to wonder, who got the greater blessing, her or me?
Blindly,

Evinda