Spot the difference

Today I went to our local hospice to visit an amazing woman from my church. She is facing cancer for the second time and is accessing their out-patient support services. They do a wonderful job in providing opportunities for cancer sufferers to spend time together and enjoy a weekly meal. They also provide counselling services and even foot massages, both of which I benefited from when I was terminally ill.

Whilst I was waiting in reception, I mentioned to the receptionist that I had featured in a TV commercial which you can watch here and brochure for the hospice and asked if there were still any copies lying around. Once prompted, remarkably, she remembered me and my hideous crocheted hat and enormous Cushing's Syndrome face.

She then called up to the publicity team to see if there were any copies of the marketing materials that featured my infamous massive head. A few minutes later, a young guy came in with two A4 sized close-ups of my face. Embarrassed, he glanced at me and apologised that he had brought a photo of the wrong person. The receptionist confirmed that it was me and we all marvelled at how much I had changed. My church friend and I guffawed for a short while as we contemplated the photos, bringing levity to an otherwise emotionally charged situation.

We marvelled at how lucky we both were, and that despite experiencing pain and loss, faith and hope prevailed. As Christians, we were united in the knowledge that God loved us both and that we had a higher purpose.

I'm going to end this post with a challenge. Spot the difference between these seemingly identical photos: