Do you know your neighbors WELL ENOUGH?

As I was at work tonight, I started thinking about the lonely people in this world.
And I couldn't help but wonder..."do I take the time to actually get to know them"

Do I know the neighbors I have well enough to know if they needed me?

I had a patient tonight who was 78 and blind. Her body is falling apart and full of cancer. Her only daughter is in the hospital in Chicago with her sixth relapse of cancer. She has been a widow for 35 years, and she has no one. She never complained.

Then it happened...the doctor said, "Courtney, go ahead and send her home"...I asked, "Tonight???" (thinking to myself, how will this woman get home?? who is going to help her??? is she going to make it???)

When the ambulance company said it was a $1000.oo to transfer her home, she started to cry.

Yes, we searched out all of her contacts.

The only one home who could help = her next door neighbor, Violet.

"Violet will help me" she said.

Thank God for Violet! Someone who has taken the time to care.

Someone who has loved another individual!

So, yes, I sent her home in a cab.

Placed her in the wheelchair...praying the cab driver would be nice to this ill blind woman.

...And then I placed this stranger into another stranger's care. (and my heart sank)

I walked back upstairs and thought to myself...this is too sad!

It's not fair to see people without anyone, it is not fair that there is no one to protect her!

And then, I felt His love.

...And that is when I knew that my patient had the GREATEST PROTECTOR ever!

Do I imagine her sitting in her house lonely? Yes.

Do I imagine her having a hard time sorting her meds? Yes.

Do I imagine her helpless if the chest pain returns? Yes.


Should I imagine these? I don't know.

But, I do know that He has called us to be His hands and His feet!

No matter what we look like, or how old we are. We all crave to be loved!

We all want the same thing...to be loved deeply!



May we search no more! May we know that we are loved.

May we love our neighbors well enough to reach out and be the 'Violet' in their lives.

Thank you GOD...

for LOVING US!

Help us to reach out more!