Parakalein

It was the day after the election.
I was at a coffee shop having a "moment of relaxation".  A woman was also there at a private table and on her cell phone.  Her voice was getting steadily louder and more and more disturbing to everyone in the coffee shop.  I turned and gently motioned for her to soften her voice.  She began to speak louder than ever telling the person on the other end of the phone that some obnoxious old man was telling her to lower her voice.  She then spoke to me telling me loudly that this was not a library but a public place and that this was her voice and if I did not like it I could go to a different coffee shop.  As she was "ranting" I tried to softly say, "I am just asking for some simple courtesy".  Giving up, I turned back to my warm refreshing coffee and my reading the newspaper.

I did notice that her voice dropped and she was speaking very softly.

Ten minutes later I felt a touch on my arm as i was focused on reading an article in the paper.  I had given up and let go of the "fray".  It was the same woman.  She began to apologize to me for being so obnoxious and rude.  She seemed genuinely sorry.  I told her that it was okay and I was glad she lowered her voice.  She agin told me she had treated me poorly and was very sorry.  She then added that her husband had died suddenly last week and she is angry at the world.  I told her I got that and that she could release that anger and in fact was doing so by talking to me.  I told her that while it was not okay to disturb others it was okay to express her disturbance and that she needed to find a place to do that.  She left with a smile on her face and I had a smile in my heart and face.  I hope her smile found a way into her heart.

It was not how I expected to spend my time at the coffee shop.  But is was all good.  As a tense angry exchange was transformed into a healing moment.

I thank that woman for her courage to be honest and reparative and trust she will repair her hurt heart.