Something More

Gift

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Imee Therese's POV:

"Tok! Tok! Tok!" I heard Joshua's voice from behind the door. "I'm coming in, Imee."

"Yes, certainly."

Joshua enters the room, visibly happy. Perhaps there's a good news intended for me.

"Hello, Joshua. What can I do for you? It seems that you're very happy today. Is there something great that I should know?"

"Yes, milady." Joshua then tells me. "Somebody is giving you a gift...it's like an assistive equipments that helps you walk again."

I smiled...I'm gonna receive another fruits of labor again. But...I didn't expect something like this. I mean...I accept the fact the I would couldn't walk again...since it is part of my mission to God to bring the hope and faith into this city.

"Oh...I see." I simply smiled at him in gratitude. "But with my room so small, how could you fit that here?"

"Well...I'm working on it, don't worry." Joshua smiles back. "Speaking of which, I'm gotta go. I will get the gift for you, okay?"

"Hehehe! Sure, see you later."

Joshua leaves the room but shortly, another figure enters to the scene...it is Anthony...and he is looking something in his smartphone as he approaches my bedside.

"Hmm? What are you looking at? Hehehe!" I asked him and giggles.

"Oh! I just take a picture of the gift for you coming from somebody."

Then Anthony let me see the picture from his smartphone. It is a duo of treadmill and a special maneuver that will help me lift up.

"By the way, the gift is already in a vacant room and Joshua's busy in tidying it up." Then Anthony picks up something from his pocket. "Oh yeah, there's a message along with the gift...you should read it."

And with my love's help, I was able to see the content of the message...

"Hello, Ms. Villaflor.

I've been one of your most avid fans. You're not only bring inspiration to all of us through your interpretation of the gospel, but also by the wonders that you did especially when you make a girl with cerebral palsy walk. I just can't stop from wondering...if you make that girl walk...why won't you? That's why I buy you this gift...I know that your followers will know how should it be used for you...I hope I could see you someday personally...and I hope you could walk...just for a bit. Thanks! And may God bless you, Ms. Villaflor.

Lovelots,
Ms. Lovely."

Another avid fan, huh? I hope that she's praying to God more often just like us...huh?

"Oh, yeah. I'm also wondering, too? When should you walk?" Anthony smiles at me. "Could I help you walk?"

"Well...if you say so."

The following day,

It's four in the morning, when Anthony wakes me up...

"Hello, Imee." My love then quickly lifted me up into my wheelchair. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, my love. Whenever you are."

Anthony quickly pushes my wheelchair into a room just close to mine. There, I saw my friends waiting for me.

"Let's do this, Imee!" Catherine greets me. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

I was placed below the hoist...where I was tied up and lifted from my wheelchair. With a machine moving the hoist, I was moved towards the treadmill...Joshua and Anthony then holds my lifeless legs and let it go through the moving rails of the machine...once reached the end, my lifeless feet slips and drags at the edge of the rails until the boys gets it and start over again...as if I was walking.

"I hope that you like this, sis." Catherine comments. "I really want to see you walk again."

"Hmm? Why is that?" I curiously asked her.

"Well..because we want to see you serve the Lord and the people. Anthony has been telling stories about you, sis. When you are able to walk again, you should really prove that you're smart just like what your boyfriend says so! Hehehe!"

I am supposed to be angry at Anthony since he's keep telling my secrets to other people..but...because of my secrets, my friends are begin more closer to me...helping me in every step of the way.

Because of my friends' efforts, I can able to move my legs, even for a little bit. Though it would take a long time before I could reach the goal, I'm very positive that one day...I will be able to reach more people...to found hope and faith to God...and to repay the huge debt that I owe to all of my friends...especially my love, Anthony.

"Hmm...I guess I will never know the identity of the person who gave me that gift." I told Anthony as we wind up in the front of the church after my exercise.

"Well, who knows. God will give you a sign." I giggled on Anthony's reply...but I ask him one question...

"Anthony, did you think God allowed me to walk again...even though in the beginning...His angel told me that I will be paralyzed...after I offered my life to the Lord to serve His people?"

"Well, it's up to you to decide, milady." My love simply replies. "I suppose that you are confused about it...but...perhaps God intended to bring you to such condition to learn to be contented with yourself. I know that you are smart, you have talents, you have so many friends...that's why God chose you. And as a reward, perhaps He is slowly giving back what has been a part of you. I hope that when you're back to normal, you won't be boastful, okay?"

"Ehehehe...of course, my love." I giggled in embarrassment and keep my word. "But you know, it's ironic...you accepted the very fact that I'm paralyzed...I remember when the first time that we've met, you're so pitied on me. Why do you change, Anthony?"

"It's because...I'm not the master of your fate, God is. Yes, I still pitied you for what happened on the cliff five years ago but...there's nothing I could do to undo it, right? Well...if God wants to walk again...or remain paralyzed in your wheelchair, then so be it."

"My love, you really have changes a lot." I smiled sweetly at him. "Perhaps you are now turning to a person what I always wanted of you...brave, thoughtful, and surrendering yourself to God."

"Yes, Imee. Thank you."