Life is so full of surprises, and today’s surprise took my breath away.

While I was on the cancer ward today, I helped a woman about my age to move from the day ward to a bed. She had been sitting with us and she was overcome with the need to lie down. I felt badly for her that no one had accompanied her to her treatment, and I jumped up to help her to a bed.

Later in the day, when I was getting some tea down the hall from the day ward, I heard the most beautiful, melodious harmony. It stopped me in my tracks and I closed my eyes for a second to listen.

It was so incongruous, there in a ward with so much struggle and pain.

It was poignant, hopeful and so beautiful.

Putting down my cup for a moment, I followed the song into a room.

And there I found an entire family harmonizing and singing to their mother – the woman I had helped in the morning.

I slowly backed out of the room, relishing in the love they were so deeply exhibiting for their mother and wife, as she struggled with cancer.

Their voices continued to ring out with hope, with clarity and with companionship as I made my way back down the hall and to the day ward.

What a way to show compassion for the one you love – to show strength and faith in the recovery process and to join in unison as a family.

May their voices raise up to the heavens with a cure as they continue to comfort their mother in her time of need.