A Friend in Deed

After a month of taking my mother-in-law to her physical therapy sessions, I had settled into the mind-numbing habit of playing phone games in the waiting room until she finished. Staying focused on the phone also kept me from having to interact awkwardly with people I didn’t know. I just wanted to “do my time” and then get back home.

I mentioned this to Gail, my friend from church, one day. Without hesitation, she said, “I’ll meet you and keep you company at her next session.” I was startled by her offer to share the boring rehab chore with me, but quickly agreed. She also suggested we take our crochet pieces to work on as we waited. A group of us from church create prayer blankets, stuffed animals, caps and other items to give to homeless shelters, hospitals and acquaintances.

The following week, we sat side by side in the waiting room talking and working on our pieces. Other patients, whom I had avoided in the past, asked us about our projects. Rather than being involved in awkward conversations with strangers, as I had originally feared, we now exchanged tips about crocheting.

It seemed to me the hour rehab session had barely begun when my mother-in-law finished up. Because Gail shared this experience with me, the usually tedious routine ended up being quite enjoyable.