This is my way of sharing with you a seemingly insignificant moment in time. It was that moment that I first met Sheri. No, this isn't a story about 'love at first sight'. It's a story about a chance meeting that starte a chain of connections that brought joy to others. Others not even connected to this part of the chain.
It all starte one morning at the end of the Vancouver Cancer Clinic's Relaxation Group when I spoke to Sheri for the first time. As well as dealing with her own husbands cancer treatments, Sheri's sister in laws father, Charlie, was upstairs in the clinic in a coma.
Later, in the clinic's cafeteria, Sheri introduced a couple of us to her sister in law, Jane and Janes mother Mary. Sheri had told them about the Relaxation Group. To make a long story short, I made a connection with Mary and she accepted my offer of Therapeutic Touch. I left her resting on the extra bed in her husbands room. The next morning when I went to visit Mary, I was excited to see that Charlie had come out of his coma. When Mary introduced me to her husband, he stuck out his hand and said 'hello'. Just then his nurse came in so Mary and I went to the chapel in the clinic. We had a wonderful talk. Back at Charlie's room, I left saying I would drop by later.
I went on to the Relaxation Group where I ran into Sheri and her husband. They were pleased to hear that Charlie was awake. When I went back to Charlie's room later, Mary had gone home. I asked Charlie if there was anything I could do for him before I left and he pointed to me and said 'sing me a song'. That's when I offered to go find Katherine, the clinics Music Therapist. I found Katherine in her office and told her my story. She happened to be on her way to that floor and said she would drop in on Charlie. I went back to tell Charlie that the Music Therapist would be by shortly. Then I ran into Sheri in the cafeteria and told her about the 'sing me a song' request. She offered me a ride home, so we both went back up to Charlie's room where Sheri was meeting her husband. When we arrived, everyone was singing along with Katherine and her guitar. It was one of those beautiful magical moments and I was grateful to be part of it.
This is a story I have told many times to others that will probably never get to meet the 'links' in this part of the chain. I continue to relive the joy long after the moment has past when sharing the story touches the hearts of those who hear this inspiring tale of serendipity at work. And then there are the other 'links' down the chain that I may never get to meet, that will be touched in some way by one of the 'links' who heard my story.
So, to all the Sheri's out there in the world - that means you - you do make a difference. You may mean more than you may ever know, to people you may never meet. You are a 'link' in the chain.
April 8, 1998
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