HEAVEN KNOWS

I heard her seconds before I saw her sitting in her parked minivan, windows down, head turned as she faced the two small children cowering in the back seat.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed. "SHUT THE *^&*#@* UP! STOP THAT *&()^#@!"

I stood on the sidewalk outside my doctor's office and watched. Was she going to hit those children? Should I intervene? If I did, would she later take it out on those kids? I went inside the medical center, signed in, reported what I'd seen, and took a seat in the waiting room.

Usually when I go to the doctor I take a book and read while waiting my turn. Today I didn't even pull my book from my purse. How could I read after witnessing such verbal abuse? Granted, children can infuriate us adults, make our tempers boil, but I couldn't envision anything making an adult woman go so ballistic.

I thought about the woman, wondered how she was raised, what caused her to act that way, wondered if she resorted to physically abusing the children at home. Unless something changed, those two children would likely grow up to abuse their children. And then I thought about all the anger and hatred and abuse that occurs in many homes, and I almost cried.

The nurse called my name and I hurried to the exam room. I learned later as I was leaving that an employee had hurried outside to see what was going on, but that the car had already left. Lord, please be with those children and that woman. Heaven knows, they need all the help they can get.