Another angel
Off we go on vacation. This year it’s Denmark. After many hours of driving, we finally reach the ferry that will take us to Denmark in 45 minutes. Because of the long journey and the associated uncertainty as to when we would finally arrive at the ferry, we hadn’t booked the crossing in advance.
Usually on these kind of ferry journeys, passengers who have to unload and use a wheelchair are allocated a special parking spot on the ferry. So we held out our disabled parking card clearly visible to the ferry attendants, but still ended up in the normal row with all the other vehicles lined up close together on the parking deck. And that caused us a problem. According to the ferry operator, we had to leave the car during the journey. But how on earth is that supposed to work with a wheelchair when the parked cars just leave enough space for people on foot to pass through?
That got me into trouble. So, I sat in my wheelchair behind our car, somewhat at a loss, while my husband went in search of the best exit.
Suddenly another passenger approached me. A Swede who, as it turned out later, could speak German incredibly well! He asked me if he could help me and I explained my predicament to him. He was immediately willing to help us. With a bit of juggling, my husband was able to bring the folded wheelchair to the elevator, while I was allowed to hold on to the friendly Swede, who also turned out to be a nurse. So, we got to the elevator after all and were able to enjoy the crossing from the deck.
Isn’t it wonderful how God sometimes puts “angels” at our side in the form of people who offer their help without thinking twice and without expecting anything in return? It was certainly no coincidence that this man had to park his car in front of ours of all places, that he also spoke German (my Swedish is very rusty 😉) and was a nurse who had worked in Germany for several years. Before he approached me, a few people walked past me who weren’t doing anything but minding their own business.
And not only that. In a world where everything seems to be getting more and more cruel, where you get the impression that there is only hatred and rejection of strangers everywhere, this experience was like a ray of hope that said: No, not everything is dark, not everyone is full of hate, but time and again you meet people who stand out because they walk through the world with open, compassionate, selfless eyes. May I also be such a person.
