For My Friend Gloria

 About six weeks ago my job came to an end. It was one of those moments which many people have experienced. One minute you are an intricate part of a fascinating work in progress and in the next your not.  However, that was not the toughest part of the day for me. The most difficult part was sitting in my office with the head of HR...a collegue...and a friend...Gloria...we call her Glo. She had the undesirable duty of standing watch as I packed my office and then escorting me from the building to my car. This part was so unexpected and carried with it a humiliation I had never experienced. She ask if she could help me carry anything...I said "If you could just carry my pride out of here."

She did not say much while I packed...the room was heavy with mixed emotions. She mostly tried to smile and direct me in what I had to do. When I finished packing I just sat there...she allowed me a moment...I was thinking...this was a walk I do not want to make. Then she said softly "You ready, Rick?". I nodded, picked up several stuffed briefcases, and we walked...her eyes full of tears...a slight quiver in her lips...she managed a professional composure as we passed the curious faces. The hallway which isn't that long seemed to have no end...but it did...we stepped out into the warm sunlight and she walked me all the way to my car. She was awesome that day as she walked  me to a place in my life that I did not want to go.

Just a few months before, this same lady walked me to another place I didn't want to go... an ambulance. After the EMT's had strapped an oxygen mask on me I proceeded to tell them that I did not want to go. I was really foggy and couldn't figure out all that was going on. As they rolled me toward the ambulance I realized that Glo was speaking to me. Her voice was reassuring and allowed me to calm down a bit. I could not see everything that was going on. I can't remember much that was said but the sound of her voice let me know that somone was with me. I later thought I had heard her voice the entire ambulance ride. But they tell me she met us at the emergency room. I have no memory of what happend for several hours. But I remember hearing her talk to doctors and nurses...I was not alone.

I think God places people in our lives for specific reasons. Looking back I see where God may have allowed Glo in my life to help me take two walks. It is truly a beautiful thing to have someone who can walk you to places in life where you don't want to go.

Thanks Glo