Houston
THE MASTER'S TOUCH
By Paul Riddle, Director of Spiritual
Care
Lifeline Chaplaincy Houston
Victor’s
hospital room looks out on a small courtyard. From
his bed, he can see other buildings and a sliver of
sky – just enough to be able to tell whether
it’s clear or cloudy, rainy or fair. This limited
view is as much as he has seen of the outside world
since he was admitted nearly two months ago for a
surgical operation that was supposed to be routine,
but instead was followed by serious complications.
Was I there because it was
my job, or did I actually care?
Would I come back?
Was I worthy of trust?
The
first time I visited Victor, at the request of a close
friend of his, he was looking longingly through the
window, trying to take in as much of the scene as
he could. It was a raw day, and a cold rain pelted
the windowpane. Victor had a trach tube in his throat
and could not talk, so he communicated nonverbally
through facial expressions, a few mouthed words, and
by writing on a pad he kept constantly within reach.
During our first visit, he was somewhat reserved,
as though he were feeling me out. Was I there because
it was my job, or did I actually care? Would I come
back? Was I worthy of trust? The second time I came
by, he recognized me immediately and welcomed me.
A bit of the initial reserve was still there, but
the atmosphere of the visit was warmer.
A few days later, I visited Victor a third time, and
a breakthrough occurred. He let me into his life.
I noticed a
sketch book on a table near his bed. I asked him about
it, and he gestured for me to hand it to him. He lovingly
opened the sketch book and began to thumb through
it, revealing page after page of excellent pencil
sketches, many of them portraits. I asked him about
the people he had drawn, and he wrote out his answers,
telling me a bit about each one – who they were,
what his relationship was to them, and why he had
drawn them. Through his sketches, I came to know Victor
in a way I could not have done otherwise. His portraits,
and his comments about the people he had drawn, revealed
a very sensitive, talented, caring soul. I value the
gift he gave me in
opening this special door into his world and inviting
me in.
Although Victor can only see a little of the world
outside his window, he is able to see a much bigger,
wider world in his mind’s eye. With a skilled
hand, he draws pictures of those he loves. Through
his art he honors the people he draws, and he reflects
the work of the Great Artist on his heart.
I am honored to be a role that invites such sacred
sharing. God’s presence is keenly felt in experiences
like these with Victor.
