The Heart Light

"Ok," Dr. Smiley said, reaching out and taking Catherine's right hand, leading her towards his office. "I can see the frustration in your eyes. Sit down," he invited, pointing to one of two comfortable leather padded armchairs facing his desk on entering his office.

"Mother's Day is in five days, and I can't find the perfectly outlandish card or gift for my mother," Catherine complains.

"None of the social media sites that boast about their unique and perfect Mother's Day cards or gifts didn't carry anything that describes my mother?"

The smile on Dr. Smiley's face stalled her as she unconsciously eased back further in the chair.

He quickly reached down to his right, picked up a gift box, opened it, and took out a weird toy, extending it to her.

She took it, scrutinizing it, then asked, "shouldn't this be a hamster on a wheel? Oh, wait a minute! This is no hamster. It is a mouse on a wheel made of cheese. I like it," she exclaimed in laughter. "Where did you buy this?" she asked.

"Outlandish Cards & Gifts, a small gift shop six miles away from here."

"Whose gift is this?"

With a smile, he shared, "My son. He has two degrees and still can't find his way to earn his own cheese. He will be thirty years old on Mother's Day. He needs to go."

They laughed, and he gave her a card, "that's the address. You have Mother's Day off. Tell your mom I said hi."

Catherine drove in anticipation, thinking about the humor in the name. Thoughts of the many outlandish but funny things they did together over the years flooded her brain. Christine smiled, welcoming the happy memories.

GPS found the store in record time. Inside pulled the child out of her as she glanced around in amazement. Rushing over to the cards, she hurried towards the Mother's Day section. Her laughter drew a few weird looks and 'Ssshhhs' her way. More than ten minutes later, Catherine didn't find the card that could describe her mom.

Searching around, nothing completely characterizes her mother.

A lady stroll over to her and complains, "My name is Rose Travanski. I'm the owner. I have been watching you since you came in. You are the first unsatisfied customer we had in three years we have been open. What did your mother do to you?"

"Horrible things," Catherine said. "Oh, you have no idea the things she did."

A small crowd gathered, and someone said, "You are alive; you owe her something."

"Well," Catherine agrees, "She did manipulate, blackmail, brainwash, often negotiate life with me and intimidate me if she must."

Suddenly Catherine felt pain on her left shoulder as something struck her and a voice said, "Don't talk about your mother like that young lady."

"Ouch!" she cried, her hand quickly messaging her shoulder as she turned to see an older white-haired lady swinging a red handbag. Dodging another blow. A voice called out, "Dr. Milford."

Everyone gasps and the old lady remarks, "And you are a doctor too."

Messaging her shoulder, Catherine elaborates, "That woman brainwashed me in believing that life will only give me one chance, so I must get it right the first time. She imbued me into believing that failure will be afraid of me if I do my best every time. That woman blackmailed me into finishing high school at fifteen. Her method continues into college and then medical school. When I wanted to give up, she manipulated me into not giving up. When I resisted, she negotiated the pros and cons. Then give me reasons and whys the road I am on is the best route for me. She kicked the door to my imagination wide open, convincing me that I was born with the qualities that would make me a great doctor. My mom believes that understanding, patience, compassion, and a kind heart should be a requirement for all services we give to each other."

"I am sorry I hit you," the older lady apologized. "Your mom sounds like an angel."

"And she gave birth to one," Margaret, the mother of one of her patients, compliments. "Dr. Milford saved my daughter's life."

"I found the perfect gift for your Mom," a voice said.

Curving in the direction of the voice, the owner held a soft pink crystal angel caressing a white candle in her hand.

Catherine's heartbeat shoots up and out of her mouth.

"This is my latest invention," Rose, the owner, said. "The candle is the guidance and love she gave you out of the darkness and into the right path. The pink crystal is for healing."

Teary-eyed, Catherine hugs her taking the angel from her, asking, "How much?"

She gasps and quickly steps back, eyeing Catherine in shock. The rest of the crowd eased away from her, too in awe.

Her expression asks, "what?"

"The . . the light, it's shining, and it's not plugged in," a voice uttered.

"Oh," Catherine's said, smiling and scrutinizing the gift.

Everyone backed away from her. The owner shares in excitement, "I can't believe i! It works! Her kind heart and positive energy are feeding the crystal. That's why it comes alive and the light is shining."

"So the crystal is real?" someone asks.

"Yes, it is!" Rose snaps. "It comes alive because she has a kind heart. It's a saying in my country," the owner went on.

"So a crystal can be used to find a kind heart?"

The owner took the angel away from Catherine, then walked towards the entrance. For the next two minutes, several customers held the angel, admired and scrutinized it. The light didn't shine.

A child took it away from her mother, and the light returned, followed by many gasps.

Rose handed it back to Catherine.

Someone compliments, "any mother who can use her imagination to do what she did, deserves to be cloned."

"That's what one of my professors in college said when I told him about her," Catherine said.

"I would love to meet her. I want her to show me how she did all of the things you said she did. I have a son I would like to do that with," Rose said.

Everyone laughed and apologized to Catherine. Thanking Rose, she hurried out, her crystal pink angel next to her heart, anticipating the joy on her mother's face.

Empathy, understanding, and a kind heart should be a requirement for all services we give to humanity.

I blackmailed, manipulate, intimidated, and negotiate with my sons educationally and with many other things in life to get them to do the right things. Life is hard, humans make it harder when we lack imagination, empathy, and kindness. All humans have a heart light. Some, their light shines brightly guiding, healing, giving hope, love, etc., to everyone they meet. Others, their light needs to be plugged into an outlet to shine.

What about you? Does your heart-light need to be plugged in? Or does it shine on its own?

Thank you for reading this piece. I hoped you enjoyed it. Please enjoy more from other writers on this platform. #mentalhealthawareness#mentalhealthmatters

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