A Helping Hand Poem by Curtis Johnson

A HELPING HAND
By Curtis Johnson

As I came out of the men's room I spotted her walking down the hallway.I knew her by sight but had not become well acquainted.As I entered the hall way, she was turning toward the front with what I recall to be some kind of chair.I had always seen her up front near the entry of the church, and she seemed always pleasant and readily made eye contact wheneverI saw her.She was an elderly lady, and my first impulse was to render some assistance.I sensed that she would tire more easily than me by the time she reached the front.When I offered to carry the chair, she immediately obliged and was relieved of an unnecessary weight or burden.I cannot think of any moment with her that was as meaningful as the one just described.

I learned some time later that she was Tammie's mother, and of course I and everyone else knows Tammie.Tammie has been a pillow of hospitality at our church for as long as I can remember.Now having met her mother, I could understand Tammie's gift of what I would call ‘people connection' in her ability to point people in the right direction as they enter the church.Most teachers in our church are called facilitators and are assigned to a particular class of study.Tammie is not a class facilitator, but she is indeed a people facilitator.Enough about Tammie.I'm really talking about Tammie's mother, whom I have come to know as a 'people person'.

Without any reference to the assistance in the hallway, each time I see her,there is no doubt that the one single act of kindness toward her sealed a bond that to me is so priceless.It is a moment that I have always treasured.Perhaps she feels that same ‘God moment'.

Lately she has been very ill, and I have missed her.I saw her last week on Wednesday night and found her sitting in the foyer with an oxygen tank attached.Our eyes met, and I took a seat beside her and held her hand.With very few words, I knew that God's love was flowing between us.

Several years ago, I gave her a helping hand in the hallway, and it was a special moment. On that Wednesday night, I held her hand; another special moment.I am certain that with our hands knitted together, we were giving each other a helping hand from God.I am continually praying for her good health.

Cj09122014P.S.One week after this writing, my special friend, Christine, passed away on 9/19/14