A Vigil for Didymus

Didymus.
The Greek rendering
For the Aramaic Tau'ma.
The name has come into English
As Thomas.
The meaning is "Twin."

It's funny, Lord.
I prayed
For someone to come to the job
Who would be similar in nature to myself.
I guess I should have specified
The good parts only:
Caring, compassionate, smart,
Patient, diligent, hard-working.
You sent to me my own Didymus,
A younger, more concentrated form of myself
With my good
AND bad qualities,
Of which the list is long.
Masochistic, brooding, sometimes moody, prone to depression,
Stubborn, too self-critical, needing to learn things the hard way.

(Next time, I'll be more careful
What I pray for!...)

She has surgery in the morning, Lord.
I ask that You keep vigil
Over her tonight.
Give her Your peace.
Remind her that she is Your child,
And that, like a loving parent,
You will remain by her side
While she sleeps,
When she wakes,
When she's on her way to the hospital,
When she's in pre-op,
When they're performing the surgery,
When she wakes up from surgery,
When she comes home,
And when she's recovering
In the days and weeks ahead.
You will be there,
Because You are always there
To aid your children,
Even when we doubt...
Even when we don't feel You...
Even when we question
The purpose for our suffering,
Or the goodness of You.

Father,
I have many requests
On behalf of Didymus.
Please grant her
An uncomplicated surgery
That will alleviate her pain...
Adequate painkillers to take the edge off...
The support of family and friends
As she convalesces...
Patience with herself as she heals...
Wisdom to ask for assistance
If she can't do something...
A gradual weaning off of the painkillers
So that she doesn't like them too much...
(I'm not implying anything,
But we both know
I have an addictive personality.
I imagine so does she.)
A steady, smooth healing process...
And any other things
You can provide her with
That will help her at this time.
Grant that I can become
As good and supportive to her
As I possibly can.

Father,
I feel an odd, close kinship with Didymus
That belies the chronological time we've known each other,
Or the details we possess on one another's lives.
I dare say she feels the same.
I am going to assume that You planted that there,
And I'm going to run with it.
I don't have a clue
Why You dropped this girl
Out of the blue into my life.
I anticipate learning why
In the near future.
I'm a little afraid of the why,
Because I feel the non-random workings
Of You
Behind all this.

You see the big picture.
You know the road ahead.
I trust You to drive...