I was on the phone with my soul brother, Jose. My heart was filled with sadness and admiration as I listened to his loving voice.
“How are you doing, Jose?” “I’m okay. I woke up this morning.” “How is your health?” “Not so good. My vision is declining. I couldn’t see much from my left eye, now I have trouble seeing with my right eye.”
“Is this related to diabetes?” “Right.”
“How long have you had diabetes?”
“Over 25 years now.”
“Are you able to walk?”
“At times, I have difficulty getting out of the bed. I can walk a little, very slowly with my walker, but most of the time, I’m in my wheel chair.”
“How is your heart doing?” “My heart doctor told Anna that my heart is strong.”
“Yes, I agree, you have a loving heart that radiates love to all those around you.”
“How about taking care of your personal things?”
“Anna helps me and takes a good care of me.” “Bless her, Jose. She has been like an angel taking care of you even though she has problems with her knees.” “I’m so grateful to her. God has been kind to me by bringing her to my life.”
“How is she doing after the knee replacement operation?
“She had some complications. She is doing much better now.” “How is dialysis going?” “I’m going three times per week. It is going well. I’m grateful to have the treatment. We have an appointment at UCLA next week. It is too far.”
“Jose, I’ll take you guys. What day is it?”
“Oh no, Anna will take me. We have been there before. Thank you.”
“ I know you ‘re facing many physical issues. Any emotional issues my friend?”
“I had high anxiety two weeks ago, started praying and it went away.”
“Any feeling of sadness, depression?
“Not really.”
“And you got vaccinated, right?” “Yes, thank God.”
“Jose, since I met you, I’ve always honored and admired your faith and your connection to God.”
“Oh yes, I pray every day and thank God all day.”
I’ve known Jose for years now. He has been a mentor, a guru in my life as a human being. I call him a “modern day saint.” My longing to know how one becomes an enlightened person had been with me for a long time. When I met Jose, it was as if meeting St. Francis in person. Watching him serve highly challenging clients with deep love, respect and compassion was my best guide. We served clients with chemical dependency on a path of self-destruction. In active addiction, an addict is likely to harm all those around including those who serve them. To love them until they learn to love themselves is a challenge. I saw men convicted of domestic violence blossom into amazing family men in front of my eyes. Jose has been a divine gift in my life as a professional, but more importantly as a human being. For a moment I put myself in his place and asked myself would I have been as accepting of what is? I have a long way to go in the path of being in alignment with my soul. I love him with all my heart.
“Jose, may I write something about you on the blog and ask our loving community to pray for you?” I asked.
“Sure, I’d appreciate it. “
“Would you like me to use the photo you shared before with the mango, or you would like to email me another one?”
“Use the same one.”
“How about a photo of your wedding so that our divine friends in the circle would get to know Anna?”
“Okay, I’ll ask her to send you one.”
“Is there anything I can bring you?”
“No, just prayers.”
“I’m going to a circle of healing on Monday. I’ll ask everyone to send you healing energy.”
“Thank you.”
I was with our grandchildren ages 5 and 3 when I called Jose. They are high energy, active, ever curious and want me to be involved every moment we are together. I called Jose when they were playing in the backyard. After the conversation, I noticed they had been quietly playing as if they knew and honored the sacred time with my guru.
Dear divine friend, here is an invitation to send Jose Valle our love and healing energy. This man has given from the heart all his life and now is in a position to receive. When with a group of friends, we were working on a Kaleidoscope book in Spanish, I knew Jose was facing many health issues and I did not want to ask him for help. Yet, when I asked him if he might be willing to read a couple of stories and share his reflection, not only did he read, he edited the entire book. If anyone has experienced dialysis or knows of someone, you know the impact of the treatment. He has been receiving this treatment for over 6 years.
Jose has been a divine gift in my life, and I’d like to share him with our community. Imagine you meet a saint in person. What an honor. Thank you for adding his name to the prayer list in your communities. My imagination is that loving souls from all over the world will be sending Jose love and healing energy. My life experience has shown me that healing is possible regardless of any health issue.
Note: A post about Jose called The Modern Day Saint posted on 4/25/2020
This morning, I got a package from my dear friend Elizabeth who has been sending me the Christmas cards of the lion and the lamb for over 30 years. I have kept all of them having my own collection. She is currently living in an assisted living. When I visited her last Christmas, she gifted me with a statue of a lion and the lamb with its carpet. Our frequent phone conversations are healing as ever before.
Elizabeth, in her late 80s, has difficulty writing. She had been sharing about these photographs and now finally sent them to me. My heart smiled and immediately I found myself on my computer, writing. The story finds me. Looking at the photographs and her determination to write with her trembling hands touched my heart and soul. The gift received is to be shared.
I met Elizabeth, one of the most loving, caring, and dedicated nurses I’ve worked with while I was serving clients with issues related to chemical dependency. They were survivors of sever childhood trauma, turning to substances to numb the severe emotional pain. Coming off the street with very little or no support, having burned all the bridges, they were often deeply hurt and wounded that manifested in intense anger and frequent rage.
For years, I watched Elizabeth being a nurturing mother figure who loved them until they learned to love themselves. Being in recovery herself, she knew exactly the stages of recovery. She was the parent they never had. She was firm, guided them through what felt like going through hell. She was able to hold the light for them when darkness was all they had experienced.
Coming from codependency side myself and having experienced chemical dependency in my family, Elizabeth became the mentor I needed. Setting firm boundaries with love was something I needed to master. The universe had responded to my longing. Day after day, I watched clients going from suicidal thoughts and destruction to blooming into loving andresponsible human beings.
I wanted to get to know her. I was hooked when I received a lion and the lamb card from her. Having born under the zodiac sign of lion, I always imagined myself to be the lion protecting the lamb. The majestic lion ‘s message was clear; anyone thinking about hurting the lamb must be ready to face me. Elizabeth sent this card to all of her many friends, yet to me, the message was personal, loud and clear. My mission in this life time was to be a loving LEO.
Having been raised in Catholic traditions, Elizabeth is a Franciscan, with primary mission of being of service. Her deep love for St. Francis of Assisi manifested in rescuing over 23 dogs who were loved and pampered royally. My memories of her devotion would easily fill the pages of a book. One time, a friend of mine asked me to help two Franiscan men visiting from Australia following their heart’s calling to be of service here in California. Immediately, I thought of her. They were in need of urgent housing. She connected me with a gentleman who met the two in Los Angeles and provided housing for them. Elizabeth is a miracle and creates miracles for those around her.
She contacted Mother Teresa via a letter. Seeing the letters from the Mother has been one of the most unique experience in my life. It is hard to imagine the woman who took the neediest of the streets of Calcutta for years had time to respond to letters. Elizabeth’s faith and actions followed the Mother’s path. When it was time to let go of her home, every item in her home, all her belonging, the angels, books had a name on it. A loving gift for all the women she mentored in recovery in her life. She became the mother they needed so desperately. She only kept the statue of Christ standing next to the lion and the lamb.
She then shared the story of the wolf who had terrorized a village. The people asked St. Francis for help with desperation. He spoke to the wolf. The image she sent me is heartwarming. Imagine if we would embrace all the ‘wolves’ we have dealt with in our lives. Are we willing to explore how a human terrorizes others? The healing energy of St. Francis is present in all the Light workers. Now in the nursing home, she is assisting other residents. Her life is a life of service. She is on the phone daily to call those she sponsored and friends who may feel lonely. Like a sun, she offers her time and healing energy to all those around her. Cricket, her last companion is brought to visit her by Anne, an angel, on weekly basis.
Elizabeth is not able to attend church. The visit of Father R from N. California is one of the highlights of her life. Imagine, every time that he travels to southern California, he visits her, always with beautiful roses. My heart smiles knowing of loving priests like him.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for having been a soul sister in my life. At the end of each conversation, she repeats Jo cho kaham, Polish for I love you, three times. Thank you for who you are and thank you for your friendship, a treasure in my life.
Note: other posts about Elizabeth;
Lion and the lamb posted on 4/16/2017, Mother Mary 3/10/2020, Spirit of Christmas 12/24/2019, No Secrets 1/22/2018, Tribute to a priest 4/22/2018, Happy 51th AA birthday 10/8/2018, My Girls 10/21/2018
