A slight breeze blew through my hair as I slowly walked toward the park. The signs of Spring were all around me and normally this would make me smile, but not today. Today my mind played over and over the conversation I had last night with my son. Again, he was being bullied. It broke my heart. I had prayed all last night for a solution, but morning came without answers. In my distracted state of mind I didn’t notice the uneven rise of the park’s path and soon found my knees on the ground. Embarrassed I looked around to see if anyone had noticed.
“Are you okay?” yelled a startled voice.
“Oh great,” I thought to myself, someone did see me. I brushed the dirt off my jeans and said, “Yes, I’m fine. A bit clumsy, but I’m fine.” When I looked up I saw the woman coming closer. I focused on her face and quickly tried to think of her name. I knew I knew her, but I couldn’t but the face with a name.
“Annie, are you sure you’re okay?”
She obviously knew who I was. I tried to fake a smile and sound okay. “Really I’m fine. I was just lost in thought when I tripped.”
“Yes, I noticed you didn’t return my wave and you were walking as if you had the weight of the world on your shoulders. Do you feel like talking? I’m a pretty good listener?”
I really didn’t think I wanted to talk about this, but she was being so nice…. I shrugged my shoulders and let out a noticeable sigh…and then slowly the words began to tell my story. I told her how my son was being made fun of at school. “It’s been going on for years and I’m just so tired of it. I’ve talked to the teachers and even the principal in the past. The problem stops for awhile, but then it starts up again. Why do people have to be so cruel?” I tried to brush back a tear without her noticing, but my eyes betrayed me as they let tear after tear slide down my face.
“Annie, I’m so sorry you and your son are going through this. I had problems with people not understanding my son as well.”
“You did? What did you do?”
“Well this is going to sound difficult, but hear me out. I prayed for those who were insulting and hurting my son.”
“Really? How could you? Did that even work?”
“If they’re willing to accept them, God has the graces to change the hearts and minds of people, right?”
“Well…I guess you’re right…but I really don’t feel like praying for people who are causing my son so much pain.”
“I know. I understand how difficult it will be, but I really think you should give it a try.”
“Did it work for you and your son?”
“My prayers did spare my son from some of the abuse. Some of the worst offenders changed completely and even asked my son for his forgiveness.”
As I wiped the last tear from my eye, my vision became much clearer and it suddenly dawned on me how I knew this woman. “Mary will you teach me how to pray?”
Mary smiled and said, “Yes, I will teach you and I will bring those prayers to my son, Jesus, myself.”
-Susan
