To Life, To Life, L'chaim

*Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011: I hate posting so closely between entries, but today, I was shaken to my core. Today I am so incredibly grateful for life. At 2pm, I walked upstairs to the computer lab to kick out the remaining seniors using our computers and close the lab for the day. For the past few days I've been closing the lab at 2pm and then defragging and installing/updating new programs for our computers. So at around 2:30pm I head back downstairs, having "fixed" one computer in our lab and as I rounded the last set of stairs I was met by a woman frantic and balling her eyes out. She was mumbling about a gunman and money and robbery. I grabbed her and went into the lofted part of our offices and we locked all the doors and called our receptionist called the police.

*Our building has an interesting layout. The basement houses a few Emmaus offices and our "Feast for All" food pantry; as well as a privately owned, small copying and printing business. This woman worked in the copying/printing business. My office is on the floor just above hers and the stairwell I found her in is what links our two agencies.

So anyway, we waited for the police to arrive and for about an hour and a half we sat. I said very little; I guess I didn't really know what OK to say. I just kept saying to her, "at least you're OK." She was rightfully, hysterical. She called her husband. The police showed up and then I left them to talk because I didn't want her to feel crowded or smothered. I got her some water and just sat at my computer as I listened to her recount what happened. So many officers showed up and detectives but I still had this pit in my stomach; like no matter where or what or who showed up, I still didn't feel safe. This woman had been held at gunpoint...gun to her face...and her little business was robbed. She was terrified and all I wanted to do was hold her and cry.

Needless to say, the only thing my mind can concentrate on now is this robbery and the fear in this woman's eyes. She was shaking. I can't concentrate on work so I am blogging. I am writing about it because working just seems silly right now. Today, I am thankful for life and God's protection and safety.