Sometimes I feel the overwhelming need to say I'm sorry. Today I almost called one of my dearest friends to apologize for getting married. She was one of my bridesmaids on that fateful day, and today she was at a stoplight when my ex pulled up next to her. He noticed her and quickly turned away. Despicable.
My friend, let's call her N, is currently doing her best to keep her cool while her husband fights for his life in the ICU. He, let's call him T, went into cardiac arrest after a 5k last week. T was a friend of my ex, and prayed for him during the divorce. T is a good man, my ex is not one hundredth of the man T is. When I informed him of T's condition, he didn't even respond.
I went with N to see T yesterday. In that room I saw what love really is. I could feel it. Naturally N showed love as she tended to his needs and talked to him, but it was the love I saw shining from T's eyes that struck me the most. The doctors are not sure how much brain damage he will have from the time his brain was without oxygen, but right now he is opening his eyes on command. Yesterday, he even squeezed N's hand. I don't know if he knows exactly who N is, but he recognizes her to be the most important person in his life. When she speaks to him, his entire body comes alive. It's apparent that it takes all the energy he has to open his eyes, but he does it every time she asks. He wouldn't squeeze anyone else's hand, but he squeezed hers. It's as if his very soul reacts to her presence.
Only God knows what this week will bring. I pray that T, a man loved and respected by many, will find his way back to us. I pray that N continues to remain positive, and knows I am here for her if she needs me. I love this little family, and I feel blessed to have them in my life. T has shown me that men are capable of love, and he did it by simply opening his eyes.