Please invade my space!

The most amazing thing happened to me today.  I had to be a blessing in the midst of my hurt and it felt so good.

For the last 11 days, I have been Wonder Woman, caring for my parents.  Speaking life, health and wholeness in the midst of our situation.  It was difficult leaving them to return back to my own family. I wanted to store them in my luggage and bring them home with me.  Of course, we know that is not possible.  So I boarded the plane in tears, as I said goodbye to my Daddy.

My first flight was 3 hours and 50 minutes, the layover was as an hour and the next flight would be 45 minutes.  That wouldn’t be so bad if I were actually going to be home, but I still had another flight to catch.  Can you say, "serious fatigue!".

During my layover, I was trying to coordinate the last leg of the flight and I had a meltdown right there in the middle of the airport.

No more shiny bracelets and no more form fitting patriotic outfit, high heeled boots, tiara with the red star and the gold lasso.  Wonder Woman was plain old Sharri, who couldn’t fight the tears any longer.  I had to go into a stall in the ladies room and just cry.  I couldn’t stop.  I just couldn’t stop. Upon exiting the stall, I went to the sink still sniffling and trying to control the tears, as women walked around me and said NOTHING.  No – “Miss are you alright?”  “Can I call someone for you?”  “ Are you in trouble?” Nothing-just silence and eye aversion.  I eventually got it together and called my husband to arrange my pick-up from the airport, which would not occur until 8:45 pm.  As I waited for the next flight, I was able to calm down and board the plane.

Suddenly I hear a young lady, walking down the airplane aisle, talking on the phone using expletives.  She was obviously upset about something, because she kept using the same two words over and over again.  I must admit, I immediately judged her.  I said beautiful girl, ugly insides! She sat directly behind me.  Great!  As we were preparing to taxi the runway, I could hear those same 2 words ringing in my ears.  In a few more minutes, I heard sobbing.

"OK Sharri, what are you going to do?"  

Here’s another woman in tears and she is being ignored, this time by me.  Do I invade her space? Do I act as if I really don’t hear her?  Do I ignore the fact the she has covered her entire head with the soft, blue airplane blanket?  I couldn’t do that!  I simply turned around, touched her leg and ask if she was going to be alright.  When she uncovered her head, I saw a frightened woman, eyes red, sobbing uncontrollably, who whispers, “I’m scared, I don’t like this feeling”.  Without thinking, I continued to rub her leg (while another woman just looked at us), instructed her to take deep breaths and turn her overhead air on.  Once I realized that she was breathing more steadily, I assured her that she would be alright and turned back around for the remainder of the flight.

It was at that moment that I smiled inside and I realized how important it is to invade someone’s space from time to time.  I had to feel temporary loneliness in that bathroom stall, just so I could empathize with that woman on the airplane and minister to her.  I faced the fear of rejection by standing up and doing what I honestly felt in my heart...compassion. At the end of the day, I believe each of us wants to know that we matter and that we are not invisible.  Maybe you need to let someone know that you see them, hear them and that you value the fact that they are a part of the universe. 

God can heal your heart and you can be a help, even in the midst of your hurt.  But you might just have to take a chance and step outside of your comfort zone.  You matter to God and someone else needs to know that their existence matters to you.

Now walk in your healing and go invade someone’s space.