Love in the Waiting Room

​You might never expect to hear this, but there’s lots of love in the waiting room of the emergency department at the Brantford General Hospital. Every Wednesday from noon to 3:00 p.m., I volunteer there. I sit on a chair with my back to a wall facing the waiting room, while I watch people and wait for the nurses to send me on errands.

All types of people enter the waiting room and make their way over to Triage window to get help with a problem. Every ethnicity, sexual orientation, and age group is represented. Many adults bring in a sick parent, or parents with sick children, or friends, and many couples. Everyone has someone to support them through this difficult time.

​Many parents come in carrying their sick child. They balance them in their arms while they retrieve their health card for the nurse. Constantly cuddling their child, they often take their temperature with a hand to the forehead. The children must feel love with all the kisses on their head and cheek. 

Some carry their baby or young child around the waiting room hoping to make them comfortable and to keep them from making any noise. Or the mother takes out any amount of toys from their Mary Poppin’s size bag. It’s amazing how well behaved these children are and it’s wonderful to see how much they are loved.

The couples are very tender with each other. I often see a quick kiss or a tight hug. The sick women always rest their heads on their partner’s shoulder, and the sick men often have their wife’s arms around them. They are constantly worrying about their partner and they often solicit my help for a warm blanket or a glass of water.
 
No one likes to get sick, but it’s wonderful when you have someone in your corner, caring for you; and so much so, they spend 2-4 hours sitting with you in a hospital’s waiting room. To have someone who will watch and look out for you is special. People often come up to me to ask when the nurse will get to them. I just smile and hope the triage nurse calls their names soon.

One thing about all these people is they are always touching each other. Whether it be a hand to the back or on an arm or a leg. It’s lovely to see some adults take their parent’s hand to lead them to Triage while concern rests on their faces. I’ve witnessed many acts of love and kindness. In a place of such misery, it’s so life-affirming to see that people are truly loved, and it warms my heart.

The big news is that I’ve finished my 6th novel, entitled Where True Beauty Lies: Based on the Book of Esther (from the Bible). It is now with the publisher for proofreading.

After the president divorces his wife, he marries a young woman who not only changes his life but the lives of the people of Baltia. The story celebrates many galas, banquets and parties, and originated the Jewish festival of Purim.

We still have to decide on a cover, but I’ll let you know when it’s published and made available on Amazon.

Have fun,
Patty
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