"Alone in a Hospital Waiting Room"

Alone in a hospital waiting room

for any length of time,

a person might sense

the tears and fears,

the anxiety and worries,

the praise and release

of those who had

been there 

hours and days and weeks before.

As I sat alone 

in the empty waiting room,

lingering emotions of others

who had once sat in this space

were almost palpable.

Me?

I felt swaddled in prayers

and calmed 

in the words of 

“My peace I GIVE to you.”

But still,

the waiting room was empty

and I was alone

and, at times, I wished

for family to be with me.

It was then when I heard,

“Sir, what is your last name?”

A weary black man, 

struggling to walk and talk,

mumbled, “MURDOCK.”

My head turned at the sound

of my last name.

He slowly sat down.

No longer

was the waiting room empty.

No longer was I alone.

I smiled

for I had sensed

the presence of others

who had come and gone,

I had allowed for the

swaddling of prayers,

I had reached out

for Jesus’ peace 

(it was a promise given),

and at the mumbled response

of “MURDOCK” by this man

who fell into his chair,

I realized that

we are all family.

Prayers were answered

and God’s Presence was felt

in so many ways.