Lean on Me

Cute picture, right? hmmm please read on...

I was browsing through my phone pictures and then one picture hit me right then and there. It was something I took months ago and I totally forgot about it. This is probably the most meaningful picture I took. The quality of the picture is not good, it was taken with a mobile phone and I did not give value to it until after major twists happened in the lives of the subjects within the next hour after taking this shot.

I call this picture "Lean on me"

The story behind:

These kids were asleep in this wheelchair when I got in the ER. The first thing I noticed was that they looked so cute sharing the wheelchair. Obviously siblings and tired, all they wanted to do was sleep. I just took a shot just to capture the moment. They might awaken when their parents come, so I took my fone out, took the shot and hurried on 'cause the charge nurse was telling me to relieve RN 1 at the rescucitation room.

There were two patients in the rescucitation room- a couple- parents of the kids in the picture. They were involved in a car accident. The kids must have been asleep in the back seat. They (the kids) had minor bruises and scratches, but nothing serious. However, it is a very sad fact that both parents did not make it. (internal bleeding, punctured lungs) No one wanted to wake the kids up because they were sleeping peacefully while their parents were fighting for their lives.

In their family car, they shared the comfort of the back seat. Now they share the meager comfort of what the wheelchair has to offer for sleep and rest. No one could dare wake them up to a nightmare. Together, they will have to carry on with their lives' "ride".

Taking a closer look at the picture, the little boy leans on the his big sister while she leans on to the wheelchair's arms, which now fills up for the absence of their parents' arms. They have their mom's purse and among the contents are pictures of their happy family. Something tangible that would remind them of happy days.

I could just imagine how these two would take turns keeping those pictures when things get rough ahead. Looking at this from a parent's angle, I could say that all the rules of parenting (if there are any) can be summarized with two words: BE THERE.

For me, this picture is a real tear-jerker and I always pray for them every night. It was the last time I saw them. Their mom's sister took them home while the rest of the family stayed with their parents' remains until they were taken for cremation.

It bothers me to think that when they reached what used to be their home at dawn, there would be no mom to change their clothes and to attend to the scratches they have. No dad to play with them and take them to football games. It would be a place that seemed so familiar, but yet so different.

A mediocre picture, but it did melt my eyes. I hope you spend a lot of family time after looking into this picture. Who knows what's next?

For our kids--- be there!