From the Outside and the Inside

I sat on the ball field last night with a dear friend of mine. It was a nice surprise running into her. Then, it started feeling as less by chance and more as if it was meant to be.
Her son is battling Leukemia and mine is a head trauma survivor. From the outside, it looked as if we were just two baseball moms chatting as our boys practiced. From the inside, it was much much more. Two moms battling worries of germs and injuries, matching movements of snapping photos and cautious smiles as they batted and caught the balls. She told me about essential oils to help soothe side effects and I encouraged her that if her son could practice, he could play. Wisdom ,comfort, and encouragement. We give so much of that to our boys and it was so nice to be able to give it to each other.
I left with a sweet sense that both boys are right where they needed to be and a deepened awareness of how important it is to not let the battles they have faced define them. Then, we separated to scoop our boys up with praise and blend back in with the other parents.
No one looked at them as kids who have faced extraordinary circumstances or saw us as parents balancing normalcy with an underlying fear. To the outside, we were just two families joined to watch happy boys doing something they love. To the inside, a healthy and lovely dose of being with someone who gets it at the right moment.
So, was it chance, I ask you? I'm thinking not. Maybe your Bald Eagle flying over knew that too. ;>)