Taylor

She sat coloring a picture of a frog.  Her concentration couldn't be interrupted.  The Intensive Care Unit waiting area offered her a distraction from the harsh reality of her mom lying in a hospital bed just a short walk away.  Her hand remained steady as she colored the frog a blue color.  She looked up ever so often to look at her dad and laugh at how her art piece was taking form, or color, rather.  Her dad forced a grin onto his face, which seemed to take the entire reserve of energy he had somehow held onto.  His eyes looked so tired, and so empty. 

Taylor soon finished coloring her picture and skipped over to me and didn't seem to notice I was busy. "Miss Kristina! Look! It's for you!".  I allowed a break in my work and turned around quickly. I smiled and took the picture of the frog into my hands. "Taylor! It's beautiful!"  Over the past few weeks, this little girl had become the reason that I looked forward to coming to work.  "Where should I hang it?", I asked her.  Taylor's face seemed to light up as soon as I asked this. "Oh! Oh! Well, let me see.", she said as scanned my work area. "You should hang it up right there!" She took a small piece of tape from my tape dispenser and quickly taped the blue colored frog to his new home- her miniature art gallery.  Taylor colored for the other two women that I worked with, too.  The frog now was hanging between a mermaid with wavy red hair and a purple butterfly. 

Taylor must wish she were a butterfly.  Then, she could escape this place and possibly take her mom with her. If she were a butterfly, she wouldn't have this burden weighing her down.

Taylor ran over and got her jacket and joined me again. She sat in the office chair next to me.  I didn't care if I got in trouble with my boss for letter Taylor sit next to me.  This had been her home away from home every day when she got out of school.  Taylor reached in her jacket pocket and pulled out something, but kept her hand shut tightly around it.  "Close your eyes, Kristina. I have a surprise for you!", she said excited, like she couldn't wait for me to join in on her game.  I closed my eyes tightly and held out my hand.  I felt a light piece of paper be placed in my hand.  "Ok, Kristina! Open your eyes!"  I opened my eyes to see a school picture of Taylor. On the back, she had written 'Taylor- 8 years old'.  I smiled and tucked the picture into my wallet. Once I had hugged Taylor and thanked her for the picture she left to go to dinner with her dad. 

A week later, Taylor's mom was moved to a regular floor in the hospital since she had made progress in her health.  Taylor and her dad came back and thanked me for my hospitality toward them and their family during their visits to ICU.  I couldn't have imagined treating such loving and genuine people any other way.

A few days later, I found out that Taylor's mother had passed away.  She was in her mid twenties.  I was devastated, especially since she had seemed to make such great progress.

Tonight, I was transferring my things to another purse and I ran across an old wallet and decided to trade wallets as well. In the old wallet that I haven't used in so long, I ran across the picture of little Taylor.  I instantly wondered how she is doing now.  I imagined what her life may be like now. I realized in finding that picture, that God places others in our lives for a reason.  It may be for a short time, a season, or a lifetime, but it is always for an eternal purpose. 

I pray that Taylor realizes, if not now, then later in life, that her mother is in many ways like that butterfly that Taylor colored. She is beautiful, free from burdens, and reflecting the love that Taylor gave to her during her life here.