The other day, I was headed into Vons grocery store when I noticed a woman sitting on the curb. Several people were with her. As I approached I heard she fell while walking out of the store and now couldn’t move her knee.  Times like these are what we are here to do, make decisions about which direction we choose to go in.  I chose to stop and talk with the lady.  Two men  were trying to help her into a chair. She screamed  when they tried to lift her.   I told the men to stop, let her sit and just get help. The younger man, a courtesy clerk from the store went in to get the manager. The other man stepped back and attended his outside table getting signatures for “something.”  I merely sat down on the curb beside her and said I would stay with her.  I asked how it happened and she told me she thought she was on the ramp, when she was actually on the curb and fell.  I then asked if I could say a prayer with and for her.  She said “Yes, I would love that.”   I placed my hands on her knee saying a prayer that would be acceptable to her (not knowing her faith) and continuing to treat within my own mind the power and truth of her being.  She said her knee seemed to feel better.  At that moment the manager came out of the store and again asked what happened.  I said he needed to call 911 immediately, since no one has done that.  He did.  Then he got all the information he needed.  I sat there with this lady and did not try to engage in conversation.  She needed some quiet and I continued doing my prayer work knowing God in all forms would come to help her. She then called her daughter and soon the paramedics came.  I told her to tell the paramedics it was too painful to be moved up to a chair and would probably need a splint first or some kind of  protective gear around her knee before moving her.
As they approached, I said goodbye, telling her all would be well.  She may or may not have thanked me. I don’t remember and it doesn’t matter. The man at the table called out to me, “May God Bless You.”  And I did feel blessed.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter what you say. What matters is just taking the time to STAY and SIT with a person going through a challenge.  Our paths may never cross again, and yet we were both blessed by our one time encounter.