Recently, I’ve reached the ten-year milestone of ministering to the sick and dying in one of Canada’s largest hospitals, and I might be tempted to say, ‘I have seen it all.’ On many a day, that includes the good, the bad and the ugly. At times, sadly, it is more of the bad than the good. Thankfully, on the many days when the good by far outweighs the bad and the ugly, it is easy to find God present amid the suffering and pain. On the fewer more difficult days, it is much harder.
Today was one of those days of mixed blessings. A bit of everything made up the fabric of my day. Homeward bound, my mind dwelling on nothing other than answering the call of nature before leaving the hospital, I pushed open the door to a washroom. Much to my surprise, with arms outstretched, there sat a Cabbage Patch doll, sans clothes, on the window ledge. Despite its blue eyes, it looked more like a troll than a doll. Don’t ask me why, but this forlorn looking imp inspired me to recall what Jesuits encourage us to do, “find God in all things.” Why, I wondered. Why, here of all places, in a public washroom, did a Cabbage Patch doll prompt me to think of this Jesuit maxim? Jesuits teach that God can be found in everyone, in every place and in every-thing. Even in a child’s doll left behind in a washroom? How could I possibly find God in this wee troll-like creature? If God gives life and being and existence to everything, finding God in all things is just a matter of opening our eyes. In this case, it may seem a bit of a stretch. Since subtlety tends to be God’s métier, I took a picture of the lonesome looking doll, wondering how God might be present in this odd encounter.
As I drove home, I reflected on my encounter with this butt-naked Cabbage Patch doll, surely much loved by the little girl here at the hospital, who found comfort in cuddling her doll. We all know about the pain of loss, of being lost ourselves. I could well imagine the mother comforting her child upset about losing her cuddly friend. I said a little prayer for this unknown child, and for all who are dealing with the loss of someone precious. Grateful to God for using this doll to remind me of God’s presence everywhere, in everything, I prayed for the grace to remember that though lost we are never alone. We are always in God’s presence, for wherever we are, there is God.
- Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps