Many years ago,
as I hurried out of the greengrocer’s,
I dodged a chatty friend.
Then, as I walked over to my car,
I stumbled,
badly spraining my ankle.
Limping painfully across the car park
I scolded myself,
“Serves you right, Claire!
You should have chatted to your friend!”

It’s an incident
that I have looked back upon
many, many times over the years.
Each time
I have been filled with regret
and with a feeling
that I had wronged my chatty friend.

When I recently sprained my ankle again,
those memories surfaced once more.

Then today, while out shopping,
I spotted my friend,
whom I hadn’t seen in several years.
This time,
instead of dodging her
I approached my friend
and we chatted away,
catching up on past years.

Returning to my car
I felt that My God had presented to me
a precious gift –
the opportunity to right a wrong
and this time,
as I limped back to my car
I felt at peace.

© Claire Murray, 21st July 2016