I almost passed

Bea, at the Cluster Office got a call about a patient in Middlesex Hospital that we had never heard of. She said she was a member of Emmanuel, Killingworth though she was on no lists and people Bea had contacted from Emmanuel didn't recognize her name. The message also said she was 93.

Working in the Cluster I know more people 90+ than I think I've met in all my life before. My last 3 funerals were for people in the upper 90's.

Something in that country water, maybe.

I got lost looking for the hospital because the normal exit was closed for construction so I wandered around Middletown for a while. I almost gave up and went home. But I didn't.

I parked in a clergy spot since it was open though I don't have permission. A year or so ago I asked the Chaplain for a permission to park there. He asked me to prove I was clergy, since I'm never dressed like a priest. My offer to 'bless something' didn't cut it, so I still don't have a clergy sticker.

The hospital has North and South elevators and I took the wrong one and had to wander through a labryinth of hallways to find the room.

I almost turned back because the room had visitors and I didn't want to make a 'cold call' with witnesses. But I didn't.

Bea and I had found the woman on line and she was from West Haven, so I wasn't sure she really asked for a priest from the Cluster and almost left. But didn't.

She was delightful. Very alert and engaging. Her daughter and her daughter's husband were there and I soon learned she was the mother of one of the very active members of Emmanuel and was going to live in Killingworth when she got out of the hospital.

I gave them all communion and anointed her and realized how much I would have missed had I just 'passed' on the visit.

I've long realized that those 'uncomfortable moments' can be the best moments of all if you just move into them.

This was no exception.

Thank God for 'cold calls'--they end up warm and wonderful.