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The Colonel
Sacred Stories | The Colonel
“[the blind beggar shouted] “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said,”Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him,”Take heart; rise, he is calling you.”-Mark 10:49
“He’s sleeping,” I thought to myself as I peeked into the room. “Don’t bother him.” But I realized I was simply hesitant to go in. I had been told that this elderly gentleman didn’t respond much to others, and when he did, he was confused. So, what did I think I could accomplish?
“Mr. C.?” I asked quietly from the door. After a moment, I heard a soft, “Yes?”
I introduced myself, and the visit plodded along until Mr. C. shared that he had been in the military.
“What branch?” I asked.
“Army Air Corps,” he replied.
I responded with a smile, “World War II pilot?”
He nodded, looked up at me, and his stunning blue eyes were suddenly clear. “Bomber pilot.”
For the next half hour, Colonel C. came alive, sharing stories of air raids over Germany, including an incident in which his squadron was attacked by the Luftwaffe. All appeared to be lost as the smaller, faster German planes attacked the slow-moving bombers. Then, out of nowhere came the “Red Tails” —the Tuskegee Airmen—who saved the day.
Finally he paused and apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, you’re probably not interested in all that old stuff.”
“Oh, I am,” I said. “My father served in the Army in Burma during World War II. He just never wanted to talk about it.”
“Cavalry?” he asked. “All I know is that he was in ordnance,” I said. In the minutes that followed, I learned more about what my father did during the war than I had ever known before. The colonel explained the conditions my father worked in, the danger he faced, and the courage needed to do what he did: bomb disposal. It was as if the colonel knew my dad better than I did.
The colonel appeared to tire, so I reluctantly brought our visit to a close. “Thank you, Colonel. It was a pleasure and an honor to spend time with you,” I said. He began to cry, and when I expressed concern, he said, “Do you know how long it’s been since someone called me Colonel?”
As a chaplain, I know that visits are supposed to be about the patient. But that day, I think both patient and chaplain were blessed. I got to know my father better, and Mr. C. was Colonel C. again, at least for a little while.
Shared From the Sacred Stories Archive
Questions for Reflection
In what ways have you tried to establish rapport with those you serve? What was the effect on them when you were successful?
How can you get better at making a human connection with others?
Share this Story
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Twitter
- Share on LinkedIn
- Share by Mail
Listen to more Sacred Stories
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About Sacred Stories
As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of
the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
Sacred Stories convey ways our mission is being lived out by the gifted people in our ministry. We invite you to
use these stories for inspiration, as a meeting reflection, or to encourage discussion with your team.
Return to the Sacred Stories Homepage
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Sacred Stories | The Colonel
“[the blind beggar shouted] “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said,”Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him,”Take heart; rise, he is calling you.”-Mark 10:49
“He’s sleeping,” I thought to myself as I peeked into the room. “Don’t bother him.” But I realized I was simply hesitant to go in. I had been told that this elderly gentleman didn’t respond much to others, and when he did, he was confused. So, what did I think I could accomplish?
“Mr. C.?” I asked quietly from the door. After a moment, I heard a soft, “Yes?”
I introduced myself, and the visit plodded along until Mr. C. shared that he had been in the military.
“What branch?” I asked.
“Army Air Corps,” he replied.
I responded with a smile, “World War II pilot?”
He nodded, looked up at me, and his stunning blue eyes were suddenly clear. “Bomber pilot.”
For the next half hour, Colonel C. came alive, sharing stories of air raids over Germany, including an incident in which his squadron was attacked by the Luftwaffe. All appeared to be lost as the smaller, faster German planes attacked the slow-moving bombers. Then, out of nowhere came the “Red Tails” —the Tuskegee Airmen—who saved the day.
Finally he paused and apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, you’re probably not interested in all that old stuff.”
“Oh, I am,” I said. “My father served in the Army in Burma during World War II. He just never wanted to talk about it.”
“Cavalry?” he asked. “All I know is that he was in ordnance,” I said. In the minutes that followed, I learned more about what my father did during the war than I had ever known before. The colonel explained the conditions my father worked in, the danger he faced, and the courage needed to do what he did: bomb disposal. It was as if the colonel knew my dad better than I did.
The colonel appeared to tire, so I reluctantly brought our visit to a close. “Thank you, Colonel. It was a pleasure and an honor to spend time with you,” I said. He began to cry, and when I expressed concern, he said, “Do you know how long it’s been since someone called me Colonel?”
As a chaplain, I know that visits are supposed to be about the patient. But that day, I think both patient and chaplain were blessed. I got to know my father better, and Mr. C. was Colonel C. again, at least for a little while.
Shared From the Sacred Stories Archive
Questions for Reflection
In what ways have you tried to establish rapport with those you serve? What was the effect on them when you were successful?
How can you get better at making a human connection with others?
Share this Story
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Twitter
- Share on LinkedIn
- Share by Mail
Listen to more Sacred Stories
The Gift of Citizenship/by adminOur Famous Patient/by adminFulfilling a Last Request/by adminThe Power of Being Present/by adminA Celebrated Farewell/by adminGod’s Perfect Timing/by adminGod’s Presence in Grief/by adminCompassion in Action/by adminThe Door is Open/by adminEncourage One Another/by adminRestoring the Soul/by adminSacred Stories, Sacred Ground/by adminOur Christmas Gift/by adminMessages Placed in My Path/by adminBeyond Words/by adminCare In the Time of COVID-19/by adminPrayer of Surrender at the End of Life/by adminWisdom from a Child/by adminGod Has This in Control/by adminReceiving Guests With Compassion and Kindness/by adminCommonSpirit Health’s Ever-present Values/by adminThe Gift of Time in the Giving Garden/by adminFair, with Occasional Clouds/by adminAlways a Reason/by adminIt Only Takes a Second/by adminA Thank You Note/by adminWith the Arms of Christ/by adminLadybug’s Christmas Tree/by adminJesus Lit Up Our World/by adminLike a Grain of Wheat/by adminSanta Finally Comes to Our House/by adminWhenever it Snows, the Memory of Him Comes to Me/by adminMany Gifts, Same Spirit/by adminMy Poignant Story/by adminLife and Death/by adminCan You Hear Me in the Noise?/by adminBagpipes/by adminTo Truly See/by adminMassaging Souls/by adminMargaret Was Not Alone/by adminThe “Push” for My Career/by adminA Grandmother’s Kiss/by adminUncle Jim/by adminWhat Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?/by adminI Have Seen the Face of God/by adminIncarcerated/by adminIce Cream: Good for the Soul/by adminA Cup of Cold Water/by adminSpirits Touching/by adminI Thought You Might Need a Hug/by adminFamily, Friends, and Faith/by adminJust Hands/by adminOur Central American Patient/by adminBrief Light/by adminA Childs Generosity/by adminEverything Is for a Reason/by adminThe Colonel/by adminThe Goodbye Song/by adminThe True Meaning of Christmas/by adminDo You Remember Me?/by adminLights for Timothy/by adminA New Friend/by adminStringed Release/by adminPrayer Shawl/by adminForgiveness/by adminLoad more
About Sacred Stories
As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of
the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
Sacred Stories convey ways our mission is being lived out by the gifted people in our ministry. We invite you to
use these stories for inspiration, as a meeting reflection, or to encourage discussion with your team.
Return to the Sacred Stories Homepage