A Day In The City

Another day of waking up with the sound of sirens zooming by outside. I'm not ready to start the day. I stay in bed for a few more minutes. "Alright, I better get up and get ready". I walked to the bathroom to take a shower. I'm singing-along with my morning playlist on Youtube. I get out of the shower. I feel refreshed.

Outside on the busy streets of the city, I walk to church on a Saturday morning. I stop at the corner waiting for the light to turn red. While the light was changing red, a bright blue car sped through the light and as it slammed on its brakes, the car crashed into another car.

"What are you thinking?! I had the green light! Why would you try to out beat the red light?!" yells the woman in a yellow car.

"It wasn't my fault the light changed faster than I assumed!" says the man in the bright blue car. The police show up and write the report. Finally, I get to cross the street and think to myself, One of the reasons why I hate this city, people seemed to always be in a rush and cause accidents. That's the reason why I usually don't cross the street the minute it turns red.

Along the way, I look at the houses on the streets. Some look like they were just built. There are fences and green front yards. Some even have a flower garden with white, red, yellow flowers. Others on the other hand, they were worn down and ready to fall any minute. They didn't look like they belonged on the same street. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would think it was two different sides of town. I get to church and I walk up the steps and open the door and walk inside. I see other church members.

Sister Fran prays, "Dear Lord, You are good and holy and faithful. Thank You for Your blood and mercies. As we go outside and pray for others, let them feel You. Do a mighty miracle in their lives. Cover us and protect us. In Your mighty name, Jesus."

We all say,"Amen."

We walk on the streets asking people who walk by us if they need prayer or anything. A lot of people tell us no, but they see something in my hand and want it. I give them something that I made out of pipe cleaners. It's shape is a heart with a scripture tie to it. Some people want prayer and we pray for them. I also give them the heart with the scripture tie to it. After an hour or two, we walk back to church. It feels good to spread hope.

I decided to walk to my mom's since it's not too far. The streets are still busy in the afternoon. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable when I walk by myself. I keep reminding myself that I'm not actually alone because Jesus is with me. I get to my mother's place.

I walk through the front door and my mom says with a smile," Hi, honey! Do you want something to drink or eat?"

I answer," I'll get me some hot tea." I make honey vanilla chamomile tea with some sugar and cream and sit down on the couch beside her. We talk about the old times.

"Remember that time when you and I would walk around town? I miss those times."

I miss those times too. I say," Don't worry, Mom. You'll walk again." She wasn't always stuck on the couch with just the TV remote in her hand. About three years ago, she was outside walking the streets doing errands. She barely stayed home. Everyone she met, she greeted. She had her boombox on her shoulders, playing gospel music wherever she went.

I remember a time when I wanted to be around her, but I was backsliding from church so the music made me angry. I never told her that though. I still stuck around and I found peace with the music because most songs were about forgiveness. I returned to church.

I finish my tea and start cleaning her bathroom. I clean her toilet and her bathroom sink and her shower. Afterwards, I clean my hands and wash her dishes.

Two years ago when this all began, she complained about a pain in her stomach and went to see a doctor. She told them that it felt like it was her hernia. They checked it out and told her there's nothing wrong with it. As the days went by, the pain grew stronger and she went again, but they didn't find anything. She couldn't keep anything down that she ate so she stopped eating. She was only drinking water, but still was walking everywhere. I came there one day and she took a sip of water and then puked it back out. I knew something wasn't right. But she didn't want to go to the doctors because they didn't help her. I was afraid because I knew something was terribly wrong. I didn't know what to do. I prayed to God that she'll be healed.

Some days later, her boyfriend called her mother while I was there at that time. He said,"She's not eating or drinking or moving off the couch for almost three days now. I tried to tell her that she needs to go to the hospital but she won't listen to me. Someone needs to come down here and try to convince her to go!"

So, my uncles, my aunt, my twin sister and I went over there. She lost so much weight and she wasn't in her right mind. She kept saying that she was okay but we could see she wasn't. My aunt called the ambulance. They took her to the hospital. They did a lot of tests and x-rays. That's when they found the kidney stone and it was a size of a nickel. It might not sound big but it can cause damage. She wasn't pooping and she was built up with days of waste. They put tubes in her and needles. She was very low on iron, vitamins, and she was dehydrated. She finally looked like she was going to be okay. They took the kidney stone out. She was able to walk again.

While she was there, she had a roommate. I remember that her roommate couldn't get up to use the bathroom so he had to poop in a urine pan. The nurse had to come and clean it out. I'm so glad I'm not a nurse. I don't know how they can do that. Cleaning someone's else poop out of a pan. I'm happy it didn't get that far with my mom and she's able to walk to the bathroom. I don't know what I'll do.

Seafood is her favorite food; so, I make her bake fish and lemon pepper scallops with some french fries. I really enjoy cooking for her. It takes about two hours. I sit down to watch a movie with her when I am done. She likes to watch Christian movies because it helps with her faith, but it also helps with mine.

The movie ends and I say, "Well, I have to go home now." I get up and hug and kiss her goodbye. I walk out of the door and walk back home. I wouldn't change where I live because the rent is cheap and I live near most of my family members. I also live close to my church. At a certain time at night, no one is outside on the streets that I take back home. I look up at the night sky; even though the buildings block a lot of it, I try to look pass them. "Thanks Jesus for today and the time I got with my mom. I know she'll walk again. I believe it will happen when You say it's time. Until then, I just have to stay focused and not lose my faith. Forgive me for all those times I did. Thanks for listening."

I open my front door to my apartment. My twin sister is spending the night at our uncle's house. My cat, Ellie, runs into the kitchen and I pick her up and pet her. I place her back down. I walk into the bathroom. I take a shower and sing-along with my peaceful playlist on Youtube. I get out of the shower. That is refreshing. I get into bed and Ellie climbs up and lays on my stomach.

The sounds of sirens zooming by again. What happened now? I hope no one got hurt. I sigh,"The thing I hate about this city is everyone is in a rush. I think everyone should slow down and pay attention. What's so important that they don't think about other people on the road while trying to out beat the yellow light?"

When everything is silent, which doesn't last long, there's a peaceful feeling that comes over me. Like, everything is right in the world. It's like Jesus is wrapping His arms around me and saying," Don't worry. Your family will be heal." Until that day, I just need to keep that peaceful feeling within me because I will have peace with all men no matter what they say about me or what's going on around me.