On the previous days I went to a hospital in Bucharest for some medical investigations. Waiting for my turn to enter at the doctor I had about seven other persons waiting at different doors. Then a mother showed up with her little 7-8 y.o boy The boy sat on the bench and asked his mother for the phone. His mother explained there the phones were not allowed and he had to wait until they went out of the hospital. The child understood.
Not having what to do he started scanning all of us who were there. His first question for his mother was why the children were not allowed to speak with strangers. His mother tried to explain that it was for their protection and that it was not necessary as long as their parents were with them.
He stopped at me with hi scanning because I was standing out with my long robe and my long beard and my long hair. When I saw he gazed at his mother with a wondering look I realized he was going to start asking a series of complex questions.
He started:
`Mum, the man is a priest, right?`
`Yes my dear.`
`Why does he wear a long robe doesn`t he have legs?`
`He has legs my dear but he is not like the priest from our church he is a monk and he had an oath with God to be dressed like this for not revealing the shape of the body.
`Why does he have such a long beard, doesn`t he have money to shave?`
`No, dear but they have another oath with God to wear a long beard and long hair.`
The child surprised said:
`To look like God from the icon from the church, mum?`
His mother for getting rid of other questions nodded. She thought she escaped but just then the child came with another question:
`We let him go before us to the doctor as he is upset and I think he is also sleepy.`
His mother told him that we went inside according to the time of our appointment. Then the child said:
`I give him the time of my appointment.`
Of course we went inside according to the call of the doctor but I was surprised by the questions of the child and the answers of his mother. When they left the child turned back and said:
`May God help, father, may you get healed so that you won`t be upset anymore and you won`t feel sleepy at noon.
The truth is this encounter made my day better!
Hieromonk Ioan Danci
