My mother ended up in the hospital several years ago. My family camped for hours in the intensive care waiting room. We didn’t want to leave in case the doctor came to speak to us or allowed us to visit her, even for just 10 minutes. And we weren’t alone—the room was full of worried people.
Then my cousin Barbara walked in. In her hands was a giant basket filled with fresh fruit, granola bars, peanut butter crackers and other snacks—enough for everyone in the room. What a blessing she was! We shared the basket of goodies with the other folks and got to talking. We learned about their sick loved ones, which enabled us to pray for each other, rejoice together at good news and show compassion at bad news.
Ever since, I have given food baskets to friends who are visiting people in the hospital. One friend passes them along to people from her small hometown who are at the city’s hospital all alone, keeping vigil for an ailing loved one. Baskets of snacks might not heal the sick, but they ease worried hearts.
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