Two Strangers

Today I wore my beloved "dad" shirt.  I made this shirt specifically to wear in the Relay for Life May 8th, but wear it all the time now.  I love wearing it because I feel like it tells the world how much I miss my dad, love him, and honor him.  Today I wore it to the Post Office and to the grocery store and met two wonderful strangers because of my dad shirt.

 

At the post office the woman standing behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said, with tears in her eyes, "I am so sorry about your dad".  I thanked her and she told me she just lost her mom to Leukemia.  She cried, and I cried and we talked about how much we loved our parents.  I told her I know exactly how she feels and it was just a special moment with a stranger who’s heart hurts at much as mine.

 

Then at the grocery store an older couple stopped me and told me they loved my shirt.  The woman went on to say that she loves how I show my love and sadness in one shirt.  She asked a lot of questions about dad, which was actually very kind, most people don’t want to actually hear about your loved one, but she clearly did.   She and her husband stood there and as I started crying she hugged me and he teared up.  She told me that Jesus was here for me and knows my pain.  I told her that I know and that I have no idea how I would be getting through this without God’s love and healing.  I also told her that I had something dawn on me at Easter this year….I have known the Easter story forever, but really stopped to think this year about God’s pain in watching his Son…his only Son suffer and die.  It dawned on me, God knows EXACTLY what I’m going through and feeling.  He knows just how to heal me and guide me because He went through the exact pain.  The woman grabbed her chest, smiled, teared up, and said "thank you for that".  It was very touching.  As we were saying goodbye, she asked my little boy’s name.  I said "this is Noah".  She smiled at her husband and said "our son is Noah too".  

 

I came home and can’t seem to get these strangers out of my mind.  I just keep thinking, Thank you God for putting these people in my path today so that I could continue to heal just a bit more today.  By them asking me about dad and letting me talk about him, I healed a little more.

 

Me and my beloved dad shirt!