A Strange Embrace

Here's a story for you:

On Sunday, I was checking Joshua out of his classroom at church when Susan tapped me on the shoulder to say hi.

Susan is not really a friend. We don't know each other well at all. The last time I was in the same room with her was a day in September 2008. But I've always liked her, and she's an amazing woman with an amazing story. God is BIG in her life. . .

So I turned to greet her and suddenly found myself hugging her. She hugged me back--it was a really intense embrace, and I started crying. Not out of sadness or grief I just. . .I had no idea why I was hugging this person and why we were both now crying. But there came an overwhelming sense of joy that we cried even more.

It was crazy.

And you all know me! I don't mind a hug, but I'm not A#1 hugger either.

Totally weird.

Eventually, we broke it off and she said I looked great. That she'd been hearing from Christine, a friend we have in common, updates about me.

"You talked with Christine, right?" she asked.

Well, yes, I see Christine every Thursday morning at our Bible study.

We had to hustle along at that moment, and so said good-bye.

A few hours later, I was talking to the very Christine in question and I mentioned how I'd seen Susan for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Oh!" Christine said, "Did she tell you?"

Tell me what?

"That she was just diagnosed with breast cancer."

Long silence.

Christine went on, "It's at stage 1, and she told me that this is going to be a blessing her life. And I told her, 'You know who else believes that? Amy Ponce!'"

Shortly after their conversation, Susan saw me picking up Joshua from his room at church. So, she knew about her cancer and about my cancer. But I'd had no idea about hers.

But our spirits knew. Amazing. . .