Hang On to Each Other

Too often we feel alone. But there is always someone ready to take ournhand. There is a beautiful story of an overworked nurse who escorted antired, young man to her patient's bedside. Leaning over and speakingnloudly to the elderly patient, she said, "Your son is here."

With great effort, his unfocussed eyes opened, then flickered shutnagain. The young man squeezed the aged hand in his and sat beside thenbed. Throughout the night he sat there, holding the old man's hand andnwhispering words of comfort.

By morning's light, the patient had died. In moments, hospital staffnswarmed into the room to turn off machines and remove needles. Thennurse stepped over to the young man's side and began to offernsympathy, but he interrupted her. "Who was that man?" he asked.

The startled nurse replied, "I thought he was your father!"

"No, he was not my father," he answered. "I never saw him before in mynlife."

"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"

"I realized he needed his son and his son wasn't here," the mannexplained. "And since he was too sick to recognize that I was not hisnson, I knew he needed me."

Mother Teresa used to remind us that nobody should have to die alone.
Likewise, nobody should have to grieve alone or cry alone either. Ornlaugh alone or celebrate alone.

We are made to travel life's journey hand in hand. There is someonenready to grasp your hand today. And someone hoping you will takentheirs.