enlightenment in the least expected places

She wore a bursa, but the kind that only covers her hair. Long sleeves, long pants and latex gloves rounded out her uniform. I watched her push a cleaning cart not realizing I was staring – I was more or less in a numb zone. She smiled politely as she passed. She looked normal, nothing about her features led me to believe she was… well, you know, one of “them.” Yes I just said it, go ahead and gasp. Whatever. She must just wear that as part of being sterile and the cleaning chemicals might affect her skin. Or maybe she too has lost her hair and chooses to carefully conceal her cancer. We learned there are several workers in the hospital with their own battle scars who inspire us to take up the fight. But the cleaning lady – what’s up with her?

I whispered to mother when she rolled up to the room next door, and raised my eyebrows when she maneuvered into ours. Love the smell of bleach, Mom & I do. It screams “bathroom’s clean!” and “sheets are washed!” But she sprayed a different cleaner on counter and cabinets of the small wedge-shaped room. Not what we were expecting. I eyed Mother with a look of “watch this…” and I cleared my throat.

“May I engage you in conversation?” I asked. She stopped and looked at all of us and said, “why yes, of course.” I began talking to the cleaning lady, the gatekeeper of bad germs. She wore it because yes, she is a Muslim. In a *Baptist* hospital? “Isn’t that, well, uh… a conflict?” Go ahead, gasp again. She looked like a nun actually. A vision of Mary with a toilet brush in her hand. She even smiled like Mary – her eyes shone knowingly. “All religions have good in them so there is no conflict. If you take all the good in all religions we’re all the same – there is really only one God.” Emphasizing that this was her own personal belief, she punctuated her explanation with “you don’t have to subscribe to believe.” We broke into astonished applause!

Everyone here at Baptist Hospital in Kendall is absolutely amazingly nice. I can’t say enough about the level of care, kindness and genuine consideration that has been extended to Mother, Don & me. The information guy at the front desk took it upon himself to run out in the rain to the newspaper box for us. The cafeteria lady helped me with my tray, the nurse held the elevator for us just because, and the doctor’s bedside manner is not based in his own ego. For goodness sake, the cleaning lady lectures like a Buddhist monk! Not what we expected. You never make diamonds if first you don’t start with a chunk of coal which ironically enough you end up finding in the least likely place.