Sunday, August 6, 2017

Courage

A remarkable young lady shared a bit of her life with me and her courage impressed me.

While waiting for the chaos that is the Air General Airfreight Agency operation at DIA, struck up a conversation with a young lady waiting to ship a hamster. She was wearing a leg brace and I remarked on it. She had several obvious finger bruises on her exposed arms.

She explained she has brittle bone disease. The bruises were from her caregivers. She was going back to her parents in Atlanta.  The caregivers were arrested. One had active warrants. Seems the agency providing the caregivers hadn’t done their due diligence.

What struck me was her voice and demeanor. Not the slightest trace of self pity. Just a calm and friendly way of speaking as if discussing nothing more earth shattering than the weather.

The hamster was in an obviously new carrier with a small attached water bottle. Most people in her situation wouldn’t concern themselves with a small rodent. My guess is that she had assumed responsibility for the hamster’s life and well being and wasn’t going to abandon it.


As I drove away I felt humbled. What a courageous person dealing with a terrible situation! Medically conditions be damned, some young man is missing a grand opportunity if he doesn’t court and marry that young woman.

7 comments:

LL said...

Your words reminded me of a quote by D H Lawrence, "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself."

She is a source of inspiration to us all and a shaming for complaints about the minor inconveniences of life. In every way, a 'profile in courage'.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Apt remarks.

Coffeypot said...

Knowing her condition and past treatment, I am sure she felt compassion for something so small and innocent as her hamster. She must know what it is like to feel abandoned and unprotected. I am glad she is going home.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Hope her family situation is good.

Momma Fargo said...

Aw. Bless her heart. Sounds like a nice young lady. I hope they catch the scoundrels and give them some prison time. Damn a holes

Well Seasoned Fool said...

With her back in Atlanta, and a dysfunctional (putting it mildly) CJS in the City and County of Denver, probably not.

Old NFO said...

Glad she is getting out while she can. And agree. That inner strength is precious.