church//gym: entry12

as I have been working out next to my friend gary, I have picked up that his wife was very sick for a long time. I later learned that she passed away. he told me that her passing led to him going to church again. I don’t really probe, it just comes out as we talk.


he was sharing with me that he was going on a trip to reno- to have something to look forward to. when he got back, I asked him how it was, and he didn’t seem to have a very good time. he told me that he and his wife used to go to reno, and just being there without her made him really sad. I asked him how long it had been since she passed and he said 10 months. I thought it was a lot longer, since he seems like he has been in church for years.


this lady, carol started talking to him about his trip (she was the one who was asking him about his dizzy spells in front of everyone). he shared with her that he doesn’t gamble, but that his wife used to like to play slot machines; so he put one token in her favorite machine and said, “this is for you, babe.”
it paid out $1800 right there. he felt happy to have the money, and he felt that the Lord gave him a special moment to remember her. he also shared that he gets lonely. carol offered to have dinner with him sometimes, but she made sure to tell him that it wouldn’t be a date (yeah right, carol!)


I was on the elliptical next to him, sweating and breathing hard as he told this story, and I didn’t have anything to say; but I felt a lot closer to him as he shared it.


what does this have to do with church?
I don’t know-
we all have stories that are waiting to be told.
we all have pains that need to be comforted and healed.
we all have a need for friendship, community, and grace.


here this guy was encouraging me,
even in the midst of his pain-
I really like gary.