Yesterday I had to visit the hospital for a scheduled, non-serious procedure, one which required sedation. My wife came along with me for support as well as to be my designated driver following the procedure.

When we arrived at the scheduled time for the visit, the doctor was running about an hour to an hour and a half behind schedule. The receptionist apologized profusely and we figured it was no big deal; they’d just call us when it was our time. So we went to the main floor, to a Starbucks, where my wife got a drink and we sat at a quiet, out-of-the-way table (I wasn’t able to have anything due to the coming sedation). And there we sat for an hour and a half, engaged in conversation as the world passed us by. We were completely caught up in each other, unaware of what was around us until the call came for us to return to the office and the scheduled procedure.

Later, we both referred to how infinitely special that moment was, in a crowded hospital, at an out-of-the-way table in Starbucks, where time became sacred. We were present to one another. That hour and a half delay, which could have been frustrating, was a gift to us, allowing us to sit with each other, with no other distractions, and bathe in each other’s “being”.

Sometimes the grace of God shows up in little ways – spontaneously and unexpectedly, perhaps even as a delayed medical procedure – and makes a sacred space, a space where time slows down and every moment is infused with beauty. These moments in life have a dimension to them which can’t be measured by empirical observation, bank balances, or any other measurement we humans typically engage in, and which catch us, revealing true reality to our minds.

May we all have such moments, recognize them when they appear, and appreciate them for their sacredness. Have a great weekend.