Maybe A Small Hope For The Human Race
Thursday, May 10th, 2007 at 12:00 amI just got back from the hospital with Cameron. No, he’s fine. He was having another gastronomical episode of distress. Turns out this one was not as bad as the one from last summer, but better safe as they say.
However, that’s not what I’m focusing this post on.
While in the waiting area of the emergency room at St. Joseph’s, there was one particular older woman wrapped in a blanket, hooked up to oxygen and sitting in her wheelchair. A younger companion was with her. I turned to look at them when the younger one greeted another her age. When the elder looked up and recognized this new comer, she burst into tears of the most complex kind. Full of relief and love, the tears were also mixed with mortal fear, a dropping of her walls and utter (and unnecessary) embarrassment at having ‘inconvenienced’ her relations. I thought I was going to lose all composure.
I turned back to Cameron with tears in my own eyes. He was immediately concerned about my hay fever, but in reality that woman’s tears dropped my cynical force field like a Star Fleet vessel using command authorization codes to order them down. (C’mon! I had to throw a joke in here somewhere.)
Seriously though, this woman will never understand she killed off a little of my bitterness towards my fellow humans’ treatment of each other. Even though on the TV over my head Bill O’Reilly and Kirk Cameron were trying to convince the viewing audience that their faith-based opinions are the only correct ones, my heart still melted a little. It made me realize that I’ve been getting too much of my understanding of the human heart from the media and not enough from those around me.
So thank you, ma’am. This unplanned Love Thursday post is for you. Your suffering was felt this evening and understood by at least one person who wishes you a speedy recovery. You are the small, voiceless majority who merely want to live their lives, love those around them and have a little fun. It’s this majority who will find themselves in the heaven of their own, original design. THAT I can faith in.
Listening to: “I Beg Your Pardon” – Kon Kan
May 10th, 2007 at 5:05 am
[...] Last on this occasion but never least, we learn that Howard of The Web Pen Blog has realised something we all knew anyway, that beneath that bitching comedic exterior lies a big soppy mush of a man. He writes of how one woman in a hospital gave him back some faith in human beings. [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 5:41 am
Loved the Star Fleet Reference
May 10th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Visiting via the Spicy One .. :) I too can be harshly cynical at times, and I agree that it is at those times that I realise I am too focusing on the media as opposed to “real” people. What a beautiful moment … and a very well written entry. Thank you I actually needed to read this, this very morning .. :)
May 10th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Andy:
Wow, you picked this article up quickly. :)
Spooky:
Thanks! I’ve wanted to use that joke for some time now and finally found a place for it.
Sue:
I’m glad I had a way to share the experience.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:42 am
The media is poison.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Aw!! (sniff, sniff) What a great moment you witnessed, and I’m so glad you shared it with us.
PS I remember when Kirk Cameron used to be sooooo dreamy, too. It pains me to know he’s on Fox News with O’Reilly, that is all.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:03 am
There are just moments like that which reinforce your belief in human nature…..
May 10th, 2007 at 9:36 am
i really appreciate you being there and spending the night with me in e.r. at least we laughed more than last time. thanks monkey, c.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Great post. Maybe there is a shred of hope…somewhere….
May 10th, 2007 at 11:06 am
“Here here” to what Desil said. I can’t watch the news anymore. It’s not real. Even the weather is the subject of propaganda. People are real. Friends are real. Small acts of kindness and justice are real. The MSM seems to have as it’s goal that we should all be stupefied and terrified.
Beautifully written Howard.
“Light of the world, shine on me, love is the answer.”
May 10th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Diesel:
You have a good knack of boiling the truth down to a few words.
HDW:
I don’t even want to listen to that Christopher Cross song they used in “Growing Pains” now. And I’m a huge fan!
Khlari:
You know it!
Cameron:
Any time, sweetie.
Duck:
I certainly hope so.
Godwhacker:
Thank you, sir. I feel your non-watching the news pain.
May 10th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Wow- I have this terrible sinking feeling that I would have looked at her and thought “someone needs to turn up her morphine”.
Yeah- I suck.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Shit.
What?!? Come on, it was funny last night …
May 10th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
The Star Fleet joke is one that only a certain subset of humanity – namely, geeks/trekkies – will get. But I laughed so I guess we know at least one more subset I’m a member of.
Glad C is OK and that your Cynicism Shields are failing.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
CB:
I’m sure had you been there you wouldn’t have thought that. She wasn’t hysterical, she just burst into quiet tears which made it even more moving.
Kevin:
Yeah, your text message was funny, but the situation — as you said — was shitty.
Jami:
Yes! Someone got the reference! As long as one person laughs, then I’ve done my job. I’ll pass on your well wishes.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
That was beautiful Howard. You’re beautiful! It’s the little moments like these that will stay close to our hearts for a long, long time! I hope the health of the lady turns out fine, and Cameron as well.
Big big hugs to you Howard!! Now I’m off to listen to Jive Talkin’ with a very special guest! :-) xoxo
May 10th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
You are so nice, Robert. How do you get ahead in life? :)
May 10th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
The silent majority are the ones that keep the Nation whole. Now if more would vote, the world would be a much better place.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Great revelations from the least expected places!
I experienced a similar melting of my pisstaking exterior the other day when 2 vets were stood outside Wawa’s collecting money in exchange for poppies. I just stood and watched this one old guy from a distance and he just evoked so much strength and calm despite what must be some awful personal tragedies buried inside. I too was thankful for hay fever as an excuse and I apologise for any day I don’t appreciate how lucky I am.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Kevyn:
Amen, brother!
Ed:
What is it with comedians and their unexpected empathy? I guess anyone who is naturally funny has to have that or they aren’t funny.
May 11th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Amen to that too.