Weekly Inspirational L'Arche Stories - 11/9/06

Dorothy: Model of Patience

I came to L'Arche Toronto as a co-op student. I didn't know what to expect but I've learned more than I have ever read in a textbook!

With Dorothy, it was about patience. She demands a lot herself, but returns patience and understanding freely. This was clear after an outing with Dorothy shopping. When we were ready to come home I found that the wheel chair ramp was jammed. I had no way of getting Dorothy back into the van! After several attempts, a TTC Wheel Trans driver pulled up next to us and offered to drive Dorothy home. I drove the van home expecting to see her there but after 30 minutes I started to get worried.

Dorothy finally arrived an hour after me. It turned out that the Wheel Trans van had broken down too and another one had picked her up. Dorothy didn't seem the least bit phased by all of this. In fact, she laughs when she tells the story. I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck.

I was in awe over how calm she was. Dorothy knew she was coming home and it did not matter to her when or how she arrived so long as she got there!