Beauty is God’s handwriting.🌺

Marina talking aloud to herself as I approach her room. ‘What’s up’, I ask. ‘I’m preaching a sermon’, she replies, smiling broadly.

Our first encounter took place in Fertha View High Support Hostel, where Marina resided and I worked for a time. Beautiful immaculately dressed lady, lipstick for sure, completely alone in the world. One day each week she would walk the short distance into town, loving tea in her favourite cafe. She dined alone, talking aloud to herself the whole time. Folk viewed her as that ‘weird strange lady’  and so she was mostly shunned and avoided.

We had tea one day and so began our amazing friendship and big wake up call for me. Marina didn’t expect to be addressed, she had grown very accustomed to being ignored. When anyone would stop to chat with us, Marina would literally step back, physically & mentally into her ‘invisible’ zone. Shocking!

Hair stylist would ask me (never Marina) ‘How short’  Marina would like her hair. When Marina needed any new clothes item, again the shop assistant would address only me. Beautiful invisible Marina! How often poor lady must have felt deeply offended up and down the long years.

Little by little change came about. I would look to Marina on such occasions and slowly she began to participate, Marina was being included and consulted. By the time she could walk into town no more, she was much loved by all.

Nowadays, Marina is happy and content in St. Anne’s Nursing Home. We both thank God from our hearts for our everlasting friendship and we never forget how it all began fourteen years ago. Sublime gift from God that keeps giving.

‘Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting, a way-side sacrament’. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

‘Fix your eyes on Love. No matter what happens to you or others - within or without - look on Love alone. And Live’. (Catherine of Genoa)