Mama Teresa

Today I spent 8 hours chasing a story I didn't want to do in the first place. I finally succeeded, and as I drove home from the long day, my eyes felt the heaviest they have felt, ever. After parking the car and walking a few blocks to the apartment, I rang the bell and waited for my knight in shining armor to whisk me through the doorway. (Not exactly, but I waited anxiously to be greeted by a Manokiss.) Except... I fell asleep standing up. I woke up at the sound of the creaking gate, and as Mano ushered me in, I dropped my bags and closed my eyes. I have never been so happy to be home.

When today's work assignment began, I found myself in a church instead of a school, at a funeral instead of an oratory contest. As I called my editor to fill him in on the fiasco at hand, I stood outside and kept my voice low as not to disturb the living. I began pacing, making decisions on what to do with my boss on the other end of the line, and as I turned, I came face to face with 6 pall bearers and a shiny gray casket. I scurried out of the way of the procession and finished my conversation hiding behind a bush. 

Embarrassing. 

So by mid-afternoon, I am covering this oratory contest in northern Queens. An eighth grade girl gets up and performs the speech she had memorized: Mother Teresa's speech to the National Prayer Breakfast from Feb. 1994.

(www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MotherTeresaAbortion.php)

As the girl recited this speech, I felt so at peace... When she recited "'What does God say to us? He says, "Even if a mother could forget her child, I will not forget you. I have carved you in the palm of My hand.' We are carved in the palm of His hand - that unborn child has been carved in the hand of God from conception, and is called by God to love and to be loved, not only now in this life, but forever. God can never forget us."

Baby Girl Gutierrez leapt inside me. I'll never forget it.

So now, after taking a long, hot shower and jumping into comfy pajamas, I am left to reflect on my crap day turned good, and realize that there is a miracle in every day, it's just keeping your eyes open wide enough to see it.