The Warmth of Kindness

The other day, I accompanied my loved one to their lab appointment. The technician, slightly taller than my 5’8, possibly of West Indian or South Asian descent, welcomed us in, her presence and attention warm and bright.

As she did the exam, she engaged us in easy conversation, complimenting my loved one on their dolphin necklace. This led to our finding out she had recently come back from vacation, where she saw dolphins.

Oh, that must have been amazing!" I imagined her at one of those places where one gets to swim with dolphins.

"Well, at first it wasn’t," She laughed. "We were in the water, and suddenly, some ways away, I saw massive fish. I immediately got into How Do I Get Everyone Out of the Water Mode?"

"Oh, you thought they might be dangerous."

She nodded. "It took me a second, but then I realized, oh, they’re dolphins!" Her laughter rang bright; joy and relief woven into the sound and onto her features.

I made some remarks about the Jaws theme song, and this time her laugh spilled over into Girl, Yes! territory.

Towards the end of the exam, she asked my loved one a question. Instead of the yes or no reply I had expected, my loved one took us on the scenic route. And through it all, the medical technician modeled presence and attentiveness. Her care touched my heart, reminding me to keep working on patience, presence of mind, and compassion.

At the end of the visit, I told her how wonderful it was to have spent this time with her and how grateful I was for the energy she radiated. Later, my loved one made a remark about really feeling attended to, and all over again, I was grateful to have witnessed it.