Distraction

 

On the Saturday before I left for this European Adventure,

My parents, aunt and I had a delicious meal together.

Afterward, as we were cleaning up, I heard glass shatter.

A Pyrex dish had slipped off the counter, into the sink, and broken into pieces.

Out of reflex, my dad had tried to save the dish, but he got to it just a second too late.

The sharp shards sliced his finger and left him standing there bleeding.

 

He immediately began to apply pressure to the cut.

When he stopped applying pressure, blood gushed from the wound.

It was hard to tell if he needed a stitch, so

I took pictures and sent them to our doctor.

She said, “Oh, that’s not too bad. We can’t do a stitch because of where the cut is located. Just apply pressure and it will eventually stop. But know, finger tips take awhile to stop bleeding.”

 

Just before my dad cut his finger, my aunt had dealt cards for the game that we were getting ready to play.

Realizing that we were not going to be able to play cards with a gushing finger,

We switched gears and played a game that dad could play with no hands.

Two hours of pressure and two games of Word on the Street later,

My dad’s finger finally stopped bleeding.

 

Sometimes, what looks really bad is not as bad as it seems.

 

Sometimes, when we are in distress, we simply need people to sit with us.

 

Sometimes, when someone is hurting, we simply need to distract them.

 

Sometimes, when someone gets tired, we simply need to help.

 

And sometimes, when we think something will never end, we simply need to give it time.

 

I’m happy to report that my dad’s finger is doing just fine.

 

It was just a learning journey to get it there.

 

Dear God: Help us to know when to act, when to sit, when to distract, and when to wait. Amen.