Encouragement

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Touched By An Angel
© 2008

by

Stephen A. Peterson


First Lieutenant Jean Schmucker, an Air Force nurse, put her medicine tray down beside Army Major Ken Walsh’s hospital bed. Nurse Schmucker liked to pause in his room for some light hearted conversation during the course of her busy nursing duties. She was passing by his room, listening to his retirement plans that included starting a construction business in his beloved town of Warren, Ohio when the bad news came. Within a matter of minutes Major Walsh’s future seemed very shaky and bleak. The doctor’s face hinted that the news was grim the moment he walked in. “Major Walsh, you need surgery immediately,” he said. “I’m so sorry but that I.E.D. (Improvised Explosive Device) left so much debris and destroyed so much of your leg that it is beyond repair. We called in three of the best surgeons in the entire United States to deal with your case. After 9 hours of examining your X-rays, your leg and how your body is doing, I and they came to the same conclusion. I’m sorry Major. I’ll be back in an hour to get you ready.”

When the doctor left, Major Walsh stared at his leg in stunned silence. A sense of painful gloom hung in the air and Major Walsh was trembling uncontrollably. Nurse Schmucker wanted to comfort him but there were no words she could say. Nothing but silence. Nurse Schmucker placed her hand on his shoulder while trying to think of the right words to say to this veteran combat soldier at a time of his greatest need for comfort. She was at a loss. “Was there nothing I could do to comfort his fears?” she repeatedly said to herself.

Imperceptibly, nurse Schmucker placed her hand on the shoulder of the dazed, injured soldier who stopped trembling within a matter of seconds. Major Walsh looked up and smiled at nurse Schmucker. “Thank you! Thank you very much! God bless you, nurse!” he said.

“Thank you? For what? What did I do to deserve any gesture of gratitude?” nurse Schmucker thought to herself. She then stared at her hand on his shoulder. Then she thought: “Is it possible for a touch, one little touch to communicate so much? Only a touch? Can it be?”

Beginning with that moment of a person’s greatest need in faraway Iraq, nurse Schmucker learned never to underestimate the immense power of touch. She learned it could relay compassion, mercy, love to a needy soul. It can say, “I understand,” “Let me help,” “I care,” “I’m sorry,” or simply, “I’m here for you.” She also learned that touch can communicate in ways more meaningfully than the most eloquent of words could ever transmit.

It is written that Jesus stretched out His hand and touched an untouchable leper, a dying little girl, a man born blind to heal not just their bodies but, more importantly, their souls and spirits. Only a touch! But with such unconditional love!

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