Chapter 24

Several of my new friends sat outside of the doctor's "office" waiting to hear if I would be going home today. I came out with a smile and they knew. We sat together and talked while the nurses got my papers in order. That last hour would touch my spirit in an incredible way. Indeed, the Lord had used even this place to touch me, to change me. Remember the sweet gal that stood from her wheelchair with her arms outstretched, wanting a hug? She was a "frequent flyer" of this place and struggled with so many issues of life. She came next to me in the hallway and as she spoke, tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "You are my hero, Kim. You were so broken when you came into this place and now you are whole." We cried together and I told her that I would be praying for her and I meant it. I told her that the Lord had used her in my life that first day when she bravely approached this quiet, confused woman that wanted nothing to do with anyone. The Lord had used her sweet touch to extend His hope. I prayed with her. What a priviledge. I will never forget her.

Kathy was searching. Over the past several days, we had many opportunities to talk. She missed her husband so much. Why had the Lord taken her soulmate? It was a question I couldn't answer, but she gladly accepted the Bible that KK had brought to me days earlier. I prayed that she would find the truth that she was so desperately seeking.

There were several others that I had grown to adore in such a short time. I would leave that day with a very different perspective. Wonderful people struggle with psychological issues, some stemming from mental illness, others just simply from "life" and the difficulties that life can bring. As I hugged their necks and walked out those doors to a freedom I had once taken for granted, I knew that I was leaving a world that held a lot of pain....not a place I necessarily wanted to return, but a place I was thankful was a part of my journey. A place I would never forget.

I said my goodbyes and walked into the lobby. Mmmmm.....there he was, my rock, my best friend, my sweet husband of 27 years. I was so glad to see the smile on his face. His warm embrace told me he was ready for me to come home. We walked outside and it was unusually warm for November. As we drove out on the familiar street in my little convertible Mazda, I became strangely terrified....terrified that I would see someone I knew. Was I ready for this? Was I ready for the uncertainty that the future would hold? Not sure, but I was certain of one thing. I would face my future with this man by my side. For today....for now.....that's all I needed to know.