When Life Hurts Part I
“I heard a voice saying, ‘“when life hurts and becomes too difficult to handle alone, keep talking about it until someone hears. Because if you stop, so will life.’”
Inspired by: Take It Up Literally Now, So You Don’t Have To
Ever lost someone to silence?
In 2010 I almost lost my friend because his mom failed to listen.
Lost, after taking the wrong exit off Highway 91, Clara Ingram rapidly braked at the green light as an elderly female, dressed in layers on a warm summer day, pushing a shopping cart filled with junk, suddenly walked across the street without regard for the green light. Glancing through her mirror after hearing tires screeching, she breathes a sigh of relief, thanking God it wasn’t rush hour. Because someone would have collided with the rear end of her car.
She stared at Clara as she eased across the street.
Grabbing a deep breath, then a sigh, thanking her creator for seeing the lady, and stopping in time. Thinking, ‘I can’t afford any accidents.’
Clara stared back, as something stirred inside of her soul, and an image formed pulling her back to that familiar figure. As she watched the old lady slowly walk across the street, the memories replayed after pain push play on the tape recorder that her life was stored on. Her mind transported her back to fourteen years old.
The words, ‘When life hurts and becomes too difficult to handle alone, keep on speaking about it until someone hears. Because the moment you stop, so will life!’ played in the background as several life-changing incidents replayed. The honking of horns shoved her back into now. Sending the pain back, she glanced around for the old lady. She was nowhere in sight!
Clara found her a few minutes later feeding birds at the park a few yards away, her shopping card nearby.
Watching her for a few minutes from a distance, with a smile, Clara walked towards her, embracing the happy moments and how her words saved her life and placed her in a position to save other lives.
“Hello,” Clara greeted her with a smile.
She glanced up at Clara, who saw and felt the pain her mind and soul were riling in. Bags under her tired red eyes touched Clara’s heart. Her bony wrinkled hands, rough dirty palms, and chipped dirty fingernails, as she fed the pigeons that flocked to her. Told Clara that this heart still cares, despite life’s struggles and pain. She stares back at Clara who continues to search her eyes. She found pain at the surface, ready to explode, as she blinked and covered it with fear.
“When life hurts and becomes too difficult to handle alone, keep on speaking about it until someone hears,” flowed from Clara’s heart repeating words that stopped her attempted suicide more than twenty years ago. Her words flushed the fear away from the old lady’s eyes and Clara saw the pain in her heart.
Pain that was boiling like lava beneath the surface as her aged body trembled. Pain that shoved her on the street, contributing to homelessness. Pain that kept her from living. Sensing that these words could save another life, even the one that said it, but for some reason couldn’t live it, Clara went on, “The moment you stopped speaking, so will life. Why did you stop speaking?” the pain in Clara’s heart demands.
Clara’s eyes popped, as the old lady’s body slumped over, and she slowly slid off the park bench. Rushing to her screaming, grabbing the attention of others. In seconds, a few people rushed over.
“Call 911!” a voice called out.
“Take her to my car,” Clara ordered. “I will take her to the hospital I passed a while ago.”
Ten minutes later, pacing the hospital waiting room, Clara waited, hoping, praying she would live. Half an hour later a nurse asked, “who bought in the old lady?”
Clara rushed to her, “I did.”
“My name is Nurse Diana Lindsay, are you family?”
“No,” Clara said.
“She is anemic and needs blood.”
“Well,” Clara said sizing the opportunity. “She saved my life years ago. I am willing to return the favor.”
“You know her?”
“Not really.”
With furled brows, Nurse Lindsay said, “I don’t understand.”
“Years ago, I was in hell and was about to end it,” Clara explained, shoving the pain away. “I heard a voice saying, ‘“when life hurts and becomes too difficult to handle alone, keep talking about it until someone hears. Because if you stop, so will life.’”
“Is she homeless?” the nurse asked with raised eyebrows.
“I think so,” Clara said. “I listened and heeded her power of words.”
“I guess she stopped speaking,” slid from Nurse Lindsay’s thoughts. “I wonder why?”
When life becomes too difficult to handle alone, keep talking until someone hears. Because the moment you stop, so will life.
Please, listen with a third ear. You could be saving a life.
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