A Rose from the Bottom of Someone Else’s Heart

I was disturbed with negative thoughts lately. In the past few days, even the people around me and whatever it is that I’m doing, had been affected. These thoughts seem to bother me all the time that I can feel its negativity devouring me, taking over and controlling every moment. I was walking together with my sister in a crowded sidewalk where I saw a lady who was having a hard time inserting the straw in her tetra pack juice. I saw her with great effort as I was walking towards her way (now in slow motion) as she tightened her grip on the straw with her left hand and the juice pack with her right hand, biting her lip she was determined this time to accomplish the task. She carefully calculated the distance and looked like she was going to stab the juice for giving her a hard time. She successfully inserted the straw showing a smile on her face but because she also tightened her gripped on the juice, its contents splashed all over my face. I froze instantly as I heard the lady saying, “Sorry, I’m so sorry”. 

My face turned sour like a Persian cat that says “don’t touch me.”  I’m confused and got splashed in the face, talk about bad luck, I never thought that negative thoughts, can affect a person this bad. I’ve had series of bad news after that but still, I manage to smile. Although my heart is still beating, I felt lifeless and hopeless.

I felt so lazy that my room needed some spring cleaning but I find it hard to lift a thing. Going to work was probably the most challenging, as I drag myself out of bed saying to myself in a very sad tone “time to go to work”. As I was about to enter the building, I noticed that my ID and badge are gone, somehow it was detached from my ID holder. Now, I wonder when this will ever end. Or maybe I’m just making too much fuss about the little bad things that’s been happening lately. I thought that nothing or no one can ever make me feel better until I received the warmest and life changing call in the middle of my shift. I answered the call with my opening spiel as usual “Thank you for calling, this is Lou. May I help you?” A woman in her 50’s replied with a shaky voice. She was having a hard time speaking each word, she sounded like she just recovered from a stroke. I felt sorry for her but proud as she greeted me “Hello! Good morning Lou! How are you today?” I was having a bad day but I really couldn’t tell her that, so I answered her with the most appropriate answer “I’m doing good Mrs. Smith (not her real name) and how are you today?” and she answered “Ohhh, just fine Lou.” She was just calling to check the status of her medication and her concern was addressed right away.

Learning that everything’s fine with her prescriptions, she was trying to express her thanks before saying goodbye. She tried to utter the words, still in a shaky voice explaining that she just had a brain surgery and she was trying to make sure that her medicine is right on track. She also said, “I am ready to go to the shelter, where I volunteer, and bring them freshly cut roses from my garden tomorrow. I’m giving one to you now Lou, from the bottom of my heart.” I felt my heart wrapped in a warm blanket and tears are starting to form in my eyes. I replied “I appreciate that Mrs. Smith and you’re about to make me cry now.” I can no longer hold back my tears and so I let them fall, some of them ran down my cheeks. As I wiped my tears with my hand, I said goodbye to her and from the bottom of my heart mentioned the words, “Thank you as well for the rose Mrs. Smith and you take care now, okay?” I felt relieved as I ended the call, staring at the blank screen of the computer monitor, I tried to compose myself and said “I feel much better now.”

Mrs. Smith has the power to create love, even though we were oceans apart, her words were so powerful that I felt her love in an instant. After her brain surgery, she chose to continue living life and showed her kindness to the world in its simplest form.

Edited by Lorraine Joy Ventura