Throughout my life I have had practically no experience going to the ER. My only perspective of what the ER is like has been based on what I have seen in movies and TV shows.
In my mind, I’ve always pictured the Emergency Room being a very noisy, busy place … filled with frantic high-stress activity, as people are wheeled in with stab wounds and gunshot wounds!
In reality, the ER is just a waiting room. Lots and lots of waiting! (2-4 hr. average wait times)
This greatly surprised me. I had no idea.
Desperately sick people (who really should have been at home, tucked away in bed) were sitting as best they could, upright in uncomfortable chairs waiting … and waiting … and waiting …
The ER is a very sad place. It is sad to see so many desperately sick people.
The ER is a rather quiet, somber place … as desperately sick people, here and there cough desperately sick coughs. Some are slumped over, with their head resting on a side table. Some are obviously in tremendous pain! Most are foggy-headed and not thinking clearly. And they wait.
A man shows up with a dog-bite to his hand. He is very chatty … letting everyone know all the details of what happened! … and letting everyone know that the wound goes all the way to the bone! He’s dripping blood all over the floor … which he lets everyone know!
And yet, he must wait. Stand and wait in line, in order to be checked-in. Take a seat along with the rest of the desperately sick patients, and wait to be seen. Wait … wait … wait.
My attention is drawn to the weak, fragile elderly couples. One of them is sick enough that a trip to the ER was necessary. (I realize, for the first time, that courtesy wheelchairs are available just inside the entryway.) The weak, fragile, elderly couples navigate the ER, and the waiting, together.
The husband sits alongside his pitifully sick wife … and takes care of her.
A wife wheels her sick husband through the check-in process and takes a seat alongside him.
I’m suddenly struck with the overwhelming realization that this right here is what love looks like!
This is love … true love!
The day after Christmas I had stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few items and noticed that all the Christmas merchandise had been swapped out and replaced by Valentine merchandise. The day after Christmas!
As I strolled past all the Valentine merchandise I couldn’t help but think: “What is love?”
The Valentine merchandise of “love” was bright and bold, a bit overwhelming! When we think of “love” we think of romantic, oogly couples. Images of beautiful hearts, and flowers. Brightly packaged Valentine’s candies! Soft, squishy Valentine’s squish-a-mellos.
What is love?
Sitting in the ER on January 4 … I saw clearly what love is!
Love is sitting, and waiting with someone in their time of need.
Love is each one of those loved ones, who were sitting there alongside their desperately sick loved one. Love is the elderly husband there in the ER taking care of his pitifully sick wife. Love is the fragile elderly wife, pushing the wheelchair of her desperately sick husband.
Love is each one of those precious people in the ER who were sitting there alongside their sick family member or friend, who had a desperate cough, or was feverish, or in great pain.
Love is being there for someone in their time of need!
Love is sitting in a sad ER waiting room, alongside your loved one … and waiting, and waiting, and waiting …
This right here is what love looks like!
