To the Strangers I Cried In Front of Today

To the Strangers I Cried in Front of Today:

Person 1
I got myself directions to the wrong pediatric radiology building in Grand Rapids, and was late for my 8:45 appointment. When I called you to see if you could squeeze me in a few minutes later, you said you probably couldn't, and "could I reschedule for tomorrow?". When the combined stress of 1) no sleep, 2) getting out the door early with a toddler and a newborn by myself (for the first time), 3) and worrying slightly about the lump on my newborn's skull combined, I burst into tears and hung up on you. When I called you back, you had magically found an opening and allowed me to re-map myself and get there 15 minutes late.

Person 2
After parking outside the very large hospital, I explicitly followed the directions given to me and wound up completely on the wrong side of the building. With a baby... in a heavy baby carrier... 10 days after a c-section. Not a brilliant move, I know. I'm sure it had nothing to do with operating on zero sleep. On my third attempt at the correct elevator, looking for floor "C," you asked me which button you should push for me as I stepped onto the elevator. Seeing that there was no "C" button on this elevator either, I burst into tears for the second time. You then spent 15 minutes of your morning walking me across 2 sky bridges between buildings, on 3 more separate elevators, down a flight of stairs, through a check-in desk, and directly to the room where I needed to be. I'm sure you then spent 15 more minutes getting back to the side of the hospital you were originally headed.

Person 3
After our appointment, relieved that the lump turned out to most likely be a cyst that will resolve itself, I found my way back to the parking garage at the hospital, remembered the appropriate level and row, and then felt my spirits sink as I realized how complex the garage was, and how that information was relatively useless. I wandered for (no joke) 25 minutes...still carrying the carseat, honking the horn on my car with the remote. The problem with parking garages is that they echo so much that no matter which direction you're facing, the sound always seems to be coming from behind you. You saw me wander by once, twice, and on the third time, you stopped wheeling your stroller, which was carrying 2 impaired children, and asked me if I needed help finding my car. For the third time this morning, I fell utterly to pieces. You have spent more time in this parking garage than anyone should ever have to, and you took a moment to help me find the secret stairway that evidently led directly to my car.

Persons 1-3
I know nothing about you aside from your gentle voices, kind faces and immeasurable generosity. You knew nothing about me except that I looked exhausted, messy, frustrated and helpless. Never the less, you took minutes out of your day to help a stranger. And you will never know how much each of your acts of kindness ministered to my heart.
Lord please let me be the type of person who takes a few extra steps to help the exhausted, the messy, the frustrated and helpless. Let me never dismiss the helpers you send to guide me through the days when I get so lost I have no hope of finding my way back alone. Thank you for your reminders that you will always meet me when I come to the end of myself.