late night rambles

Today I went to get coffee with a new friend.

 Her name was Annie and it was refreshing to have a few hours spent with someone with such a sweet soul and an amazing heart.

I also got to try out a new coffee shop here in town called Sparrow Coffee. It is adorable on the inside with a unique blend of coffee and its run by Christians as a ministry outreach. I love finding little unique spots in town.

The coffee shop was extremely crowded and we ended up sitting in two chairs next to an older woman named Elvira. She was talkative and made the afternoon interesting.

 Annie and I went to get coffee to catch up, but after sitting next to this woman, we asked her how she was doing. She then proceeds to spill quite a lot about herself.

We learned Elvira was living close by in a retirement home. She was all alone, with no immediate family or close friends. She talked about one good friend, whom she had not seen since the 90's.

She was in an incredible amount of pain after being diagnosed with arthritis and osteoporosis. Doctors could not figure out what was wrong with her or how they could help her. She was miserable and unhappy with life.

She told us about her ex-husband whom she dropped out of college years ago to be with. She told us about her stepdaughter, whom she only was able to know for four years until the marriage ended.

She told us about her niece, who was successful and making a life for herself. She told us about how proud she was of her.

She told us how proud she was of Annie and I; we were pretty girls with pretty hair who had so much ahead of us. She told us how envious and proud she was that we were going through college to get a degree. She told us how she had completed 89 hours, but had never gotten the full degree.

As I sat there, at first I was irritated that we talked to this elderly woman for so long and how it was taking time away from conversation with my friend. But as I listened, I felt compassion for this woman.

 She was alone in a coffee shop on a Thursday afternoon. She longed for someone to care about her, for her pain to be gone, and for someone to listen. Someone to love her. She lived a life full of what if's, what could have been's, and just a general life of pain.

As we sat there, I began hoping that we were that for her today. Someone that cared, that would listen, and that she would not feel alone. After all, doesn't everyone seek to be loved by someone?

I hope that Elvira got something out of the short time I was able to spend with her today. But I got something valuable out of our time, too. I was reminded by how much we need love and attention. And the best love -- the best attention -- comes from a God who loves us without end.

 He can heal all of our brokenness, our pain, our loneliness. But besides that, as followers of Christ, we can bear one another's burdens. I hope for that short half hour I was able to help Elvira in some way. I hope that I was able to show God's love.

 We ended our time with her, with hopes to talk again soon. She went on her way, walking home because she is no longer able to drive.

 I think it is incredible the people God places in our lives to teach us lessons. Even if only for half an hour in a coffee shop in downtown Manhattan with a random stranger named Elvira and a sweet friend.

"My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us and his love becomes complete in us -- perfect love!" - 1 John 4:11-12

Xoxo,

Kenzie