A Shot at a Miracle

By Sue Pearson

A distressed pharmacist found his day turned right side up when a vaccination patient offered a miracle. I had arrived at my appointment 5 minutes early but had to wait another 40 minutes to get my shot. The pharmacist was not having a good day, likely after a long string of not-good-days. The workload was bearing down on him after a long stretch of being short-handed. Now he had 6 people waiting for vaccinations and another line of people waiting for their prescriptions. It was going to be a long frustrating day. To make matters worse, one of the vaccination patients told him another pharmacy was sending patients to his store because they too were overworked and understaffed.

“This is just wrong! They can’t be doing this to me making my life so much harder,” exclaimed the pharmacist in dismay. He continued filling out his paperwork and preparing the vaccinations, but he was clearly upset. His eyes were downcast, and he muttered at patients as they showed up at his window. Without looking at them he pushed a clipboard and paper in their direction and told them to fill out the form.

I continued to wait quietly. I didn’t want to add to the pharmacist’s troubles so I asked the Holy Spirit, “How can I help?” I didn’t know what to say but I trusted some helpful words would come. Finally, the pharmacist called my name to come into a small room and get my shot. When I came through the door I said, “I bring you peace.” I don’t know why I said that. It just came out.

The pharmacist responded, “I wish.”

I said, “No really. I bring you peace. Just take a deep breath.” We both did just that. I said, “ I hope you can let go of this stress when you go home.”

He said, “Other people are making my job harder and harder. At the corporate level they don’t want me to go home. They don’t even want me to take a day off. How am I supposed to lose this stress if I never get a break? They tell people they can get 4 vaccinations at once. That’s not safe, but it’s my liability they are messing with not their own. I will only give one or two vaccinations per person. Do you think corporate cares about you?”

I listened intently. “I know they don’t care about me. But I care about you. You are doing such a tremendous public service giving these shots and getting people the medications they need.”

He said, “Lately I’ve been questioning my career choice since most people just don’t care about what I do.”

“Well, I care and I applaud you for all that you are doing.”

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

I got my vaccination…barely felt the shot. “Blessings on the rest of your day,” I offered as I left.

As I walked out, I heard the next patient say to the pharmacist with much concern in his voice, “How are you feeling?”

He said in a gentle, upbeat voice, “I’m better now.”

Miracles are miracles, not some small, some big. And how do you know if you’ve had one? You find peace. And the ripple extends. His peace was my peace. And the people waiting in line…and who knows how many after them. Thank you, God, for the gift of a miracle this day.
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Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense, everything that comes from love is a miracle. [CE T-1.3.1]
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