Only a Moment

  Some people have paths that were meant to connect, to intertwine and to be together. Others only pass each other for a small fragment in time. Have you ever thought about how many people in this world that you don't know? We only have such a small amount of the world that we do get to know and love, so we should appreciate it while we have it. That's what Cami Rodgers learned on December 31st, 2003

She stood in the airport waiting for the quickest flight out of Kentucky. Yeah, she may have grown up in the country-side but she was a city girl, never liked the country. She always hoped that she would be able to live a rich and full life. Finally, she got what she desired, but she lost more than she knew.

In return, her sister never got to spend much time with her. The sister she once vented all of her deepest secrets into, was nothing but a memory now. If only Cami knew how she made Lydia feel. But, she is too naive to understand that. Over the intercom, Cami hears,

"The next flight to New York City has been canceled, due to inclement weather. A huge blizzard passed through New York. we apologize for the inconvenience."

"Great, now I will have to go back and I will need to call my boss as soon as possible. This is what I get for taking a work trip to Kentucky before New Years'." She complained.

She quickly called for a car to go and take her to the nicest hotel in the state. But for some reason, her boss had something else in mind. Something rather strange for Cami considering she was a businesswoman. Nonetheless, she stopped the car. She stood outside a hospital, unusual even for her boss to recommend. She was not a woman to volunteer, but she felt that day as if something was calling her inside, though at that time she hasn't a clue what it was. Right, when she stepped in a Nurse pulled her off to the side,

"Miss Cami! We have been expecting you!"

"Yes, I suppose my boss has called you and sent for an assignment for me to complete, while I am here."

"Oh no. Honey, your boss has signed you up to help out in the Children's ICU for the New Years, they never have much fun, so I am so glad you decided to help out!"

"Oh, I wasn't expecting that, but where should I go to, and don't I need some sort of mask thing?"

"Well, yes. That would be helpful now wouldn't it!" The kind-hearted nurse leads her to the Children's ICU, where she saw other volunteers gathered inside of rooms chatting with the kids. She never would have thought that this would be her on New Year's Eve. Still, she accepted the task because she wanted extra pay.

She was then lead off to a bland room, with a little girl on her hospital bed. She was hooked up to some equipment and looked very ill. But when she saw Cami, her face light up.

"Hi, I'm Julie!"

"Hello, my name is Cami."

"It's so nice to have someone with me, my mama had work, she needs to make money for my hospital bills. So, she couldn't be here with me."

"I am so sorry about that Julie." For once Cami really did feel bad.

"Well, that's okay, she has been sad lately though. With my illness, they don't think I am gonna make it much longer. I just wanna stay happy while I can, ya know!" Cami was stuck, frozen at the moment,

"Miss Cami, did I upset you?"

"Not at all my darling, I just really needed this, spending time with such a great girl like you has made me learn a thing or two."

"Thank you, I am so glad!' She beamed and for a moment she didn't look sick. Cami checked the time, it was 11:30 only a few more minutes until midnight, until the new year. Cami felt as if her boss had just given her the greatest gift of all. She knew that this year she was going to change her ways. She was going to start serving others and not letting money throw her onto the wrong path.

She simply took in this moment with Julie. This little girl no older than eight had taught her more than she could ever learn from school. She stood tears filling her eyes at all the years she had been selfish, cruel, and cold to the ones she loved. It broke her heart to ever think that she was like that. Cami looked over and admired Julie from the chair she had seated next to Julie's bed.

She checked her watch again and the countdown began to the new year,

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

"Happy New year to you Miss Cami, have a wonderful life and please never forget me I loved getting to spend this time with you."

"Darling, I will never forget you, I promise." Just then the kind-hearted nurse came in and ushered Cami out. Cami made her way out of the hospital and she knew what she had to do. She made a call to her sister and sat outside for hours talking to her.

"I am so sorry for leaving you all in the dust, but I am here now and I am here for good." Cami's sister offered to pick her up from the Hospital and let her stay at her house until she could get back to New York. Cami waited for not longer than 20 minutes and hopped into the passenger side of the car. She thought about how she had walked into that hospital, mean and angry but she walked out forgiving and grateful.

The next day Cami woke up bright and early, she intended to go talk to Julie before she left for New York. She raced into the hospital and asked the kind-hearted nurse to visit,

"I am so sorry honey, but Julie passed away right after you left last night, it truly was a blessing to her that you were able to talk to her though, I just know it." Cami couldn't speak, she had no words for the loss that she just felt and she couldn't even imagine how Julie's mother is feeling. She knew then and there that God had made this possible and she knew exactly what she had to do. She made a call to her boss,

"I am quitting my job."

"WHAT? BUT YOU ARE AMAZING, CAMI WHY?"

"It was only a moment, our paths crossed, and yet the little girl in the hospital taught me more than money can buy. I am sorry, but I have enough, I need to be with my family, with my sister. I loved working for you, but I have more than I need and you should think about it too. You may only have a moment to spend with them, but all that time counts for something, doesn't it?" She ended with that. No more needed to be said, for it was only a moment that changed Cami's life.