Monday, June 07, 2010

Carrying The Message

"Your phone system is a piece of shit."

I'm standing in the grocery store
returning a phone call to a stranger.
I listen as she tells me how no one answered
their phone when she'd called for help the other night.
She spits out words in rapid stacatto
like high heels echoing on a wooden floor.

I take a few deep breaths.
I'm not good at reading between the lines but I try.
I hear fear and anger and more fear as she talks.
I know I'm not really the target of her feelings
and while I won't take shit from her
I also won't take her anger personally.
This might be the first time she has ever reached out for help.
I hope it's not the last.

I offer to pick her up and take her to her first meeting tonight.
She says no thanks.
We chat some more and as she goes to say goodbye
I tell her to call again if need be.

I feel inadequate even though I know I have no control over her decisions. That it's truly not about me at all. This is the fourth phone call from a stranger in a short period of time. I'm new at doing this. I still find it unnerving. It always reminds me that I'm not God.

As I put the phone back in my purse and pick up my
grocery basket, I remember what a good friend of mine says,
"You carry the message, not the person."
Even though I know it is insanity to think it, sometimes I wish one could do both.
Just a little ways.

9 comments:

Lisa said...

oh my... "you carry the message, not the person"... I may have to write my own post about those words in the coming days... I think they're going to do a number on me...

Thanks for sharing them tonight...

Andrew said...

I know. Doing phone duty can be hard. Hang in there.

Peter said...

The whole thing stays with you for a while, doesn't it?

Unknown said...

It is so true that we only carry the message...I tried carrying the person and that so did NOT work...gee wonder why! LOL!

Great post, great reminder.

Peace

Jim said...

"It always reminds me that I'm not God."....I think you say it all here, people remaining people on both ends of the spectrum, ministry not some elevated status of me, but of Him.....

Kathy M. said...

I love this post. Thank you.

Thanks, too, for your comment on my blog. It made me want to get the book you mentioned.

Take care.

Heather of the EO said...

Oh yes. Just a little ways...

Nikki (Sarah) said...

I know what you mean...

Mary Christine said...

Thank you for your service. It is unnerving, but always makes me grateful.