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AN UNLIKELY PAIR
by Terry |
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On a recent trip to the grocery store, I stopped at the
Customer Service counter to pick up pictures I'd left for
developing. As I held out my pickup ticket for the clerk,
an elderly gentleman placed an empty water container on
the counter beside me. The clerk told him he had to go to
the back of the line and wait if he wanted his deposit back
for the large and cumbersome container. The gentleman
asked if he could leave the container with the clerk and
pick up his deposit after he'd done his shopping. She said
no, he had to go to the back of the line and wait.
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The gentleman was very polite. The clerk was not.
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I stepped back from the counter and told the gentleman he
could go ahead of me. Miffed at the clerk's rudeness and
full of bravado, I turned to ask the people in line behind
me if they would mind. I was sure they wouldn't.
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The strong tone of voice I intended to use came out very
weak when I turned and faced the person directly in line
behind me. He was a large structure of a man. A good six
feet tall, he sported a bandanna on his head, a big bushy
beard, tattooed arms the size of rain barrels and a leather
vest adorned with large silver chains.
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"You don't mind if I let this gentleman go ahead of us - do
you?" I asked rather meekly.
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"Not at all. Not at all," he bellowed. "You go right on
ahead, young fella." His tone was so sincere I immediately
felt foolish for letting his appearance intimidate me.
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In the course of ten whole seconds, the elderly gentleman
received his deposit from the clerk and was on his way.
Once again, I stepped up to the counter and handed the
clerk my pickup ticket. While she was ringing up my
purchase she said, "I don't know what's with these old
people. They think they can just walk right up to the
counter and get served ahead of everybody else."
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I placed both my hands on the counter and looked her
straight in the eyes, "You know what's 'with' this
particular gentleman? He looks close to eighty, we could
all see he had difficulty walking, and you know what?
He's stood in enough lines for one lifetime. He's put in
his time, and as long as there are people who respect his
age, he doesn't have to stand in line anymore."
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"That's right!" boomed the voice behind me, which sent
me two feet off the floor and halfway out of my skin.
"That's right!" he repeated.
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I turned around and faced the big man once again. He
wasn't finished speaking. "That young fella's stood in his
fair share of lines. He's done his time, he has. He's done
his time."
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I laughed and stuck out my hand, "I like your attitude sir."
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The big man gripped my hand, "I like yours too, little
lady."
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The clerk's mind was unreadable, but her face looked pale
and pinched as I picked up my pictures and got out of the
way for her next customer.
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The big man and I were an unlikely pair, appearance wise,
but when your heart's in the right place, the likeliest
things are bound to happen.
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copyright Terri McPherson
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Terri lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She has two
adult children, a six-year-old Grand Angel and a husband
who supports her writing endeavors. She works as a
Writer/Web Designer/Production Assistant for a local
production company and teaches advanced clogging
classes for the Border City Cloggers.
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Terri McPherson WiseHearts...
Weaving Small Wisdoms Through The Fabric Of Life
http://www.mnsi.net/~tmcphers/index.htm
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THE BROKEN ANGEL
by Maxine |
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One Saturday morning I was doing my usual household
chores of dusting, picking up, laundry and such. As I was
dusting, I picked up one of the many angels I have
throughout the house, and I noticed that one of her wings
was broken. Then my mind went back to the day that the
accident happened. My granddaughter Jessica had been
looking at it and had dropped it. She was heartbroken that
she had broken the wing and was sure I would be upset. I
just hugged her, told her that it was just a thing, things
could be replaced and not to worry about it. I picked up the
broken wing to throw it away but I hesitated to part with it
so, I put the angel and the broken wing back on the shelf. I
had not noticed it again until today.
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As I looked at that angel and remembered the incident,
my mind went back over my life. I relived a lot of things
that had happened to me that were not very pleasant. I do
not like to dwell on them so I let my mind move on.
Then I remembered some bad judgments I had made,
some harsh words I had said to my family and some
wrong paths I had gone down. Times I had shut myself off
from everyone and everything because I did not want to
be hurt any more. As I thought about those things, I
realized that some of the decisions I had made were
influenced by the treatment I had received. Did that
excuse the bad decisions? Did that make it all right for me
to shut down and not give my best to others or myself? At
one time in my life I thought that everything that
happened to me could be blamed on that injustice of my
childhood. I used that for a long time and believe me
when I say, I got a lot of wear out of that old dirty garment.
I am ashamed to say I had a lot of pity parties over the
years where I had invited all to attend.
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As I looked at that little angel, I realized how much I had
grown. I had come to know that the wrong done to me as
a child was not right nor was it my fault. It should have
never happened. I could not change it then and I could
not erase it from my memory now. However, neither
could I blame all the things I had done on that past
circumstance. I now know that I, and I alone, am
responsible for my decisions. I have a choice. I may not be
able to change the circumstances but I can change how I
react to them and how I let them dictate my life. I did not
come to this realization overnight or easily. It took years
of hard work and lots of love and support from my family
to get me to a place of healing and recovery. Now what
did this little broken wing angel have to do with all of this
realization?
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As I stood there that morning, and remembered the
decision I had made not to throw it away, the following
thought hit me like a ton of bricks falling on my head.
That is the same decision my heavenly Father had made
about me so many times. Times when I had failed, times
when I had fallen, times when I had turned my back on
all that was good and holy, those were the times that God
just picked up the pieces of my life and put them on the
shelf. He didn't throw them away. I realized that He had
given me time to work through my difficulties and that
He had taken all the broken pieces in my life and put
them back together in His way and time. I can now look at
each new day with hope and purpose. I can face life with a
smile on my face and a skip in my walk. I can serve Him
and help others to learn that you can change how you see
your situation. You can learn to see the beauty around you
and be a vessel of honor for yourself and your fellow man.
Why? All because He picked up the pieces and didn't
throw them away.
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I looked at the little angel again and held the little broken
wing in my hand. I touched it with a new purpose. I put it
gently back on the shelf. No, I wouldn't throw it away.
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Maxine Wright
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"WHAT KIND OF TEA IS THIS?"
by Pam |
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My three-year-old granddaughter, Tegan, went with her
parents to a family gathering at the home of her other
grandparents. Everyone was having a wonderful time
visiting and catching up on all the latest family news.
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Like most children, Tegan was having a good time playing
with all the toys that were different from her own, that
were kept for children to play with at her grandparent's
house. In particular, Tegan had found a little tea set and
had begun pretending that she was having a tea party. She
set up all the place settings and arranged her table with the
great care and elegance that only a three-year-old can
create. Meanwhile, her Daddy was engrossed in
conversation, and as he continued to visit with his family,
Tegan would hand him a cup of "tea". Her Daddy, who
always tries to participate in her games, would pause for a
few seconds from his conversation, and say all the proper
words and gestures for her tea party which would thrill
Tegan. He even threw in an English accent and would
request two lumps of sugar. He would tell her how
wonderful her tea tasted, and then he would continue on
with his adult conversation with his family.
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After going through this routine several times, her Daddy
suddenly was jolted into reality as he had a flash of
concern cross his mind. "She is only three years old,
where is she getting this "tea" that I've been dutifully
drinking?" He quietly followed her, without her knowing,
and his fears were growing stronger as he saw her turn
and go through the bathroom door. Sure enough, there
she was stretching up on her tippy toes reaching up to get
her "tea" water, out of the container of water that grandpa
used to soak his false teeth!
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Pamela Blaine
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I've been married to Michael for 33 years and we have 4
children and 3 grandchildren. We live in West Virginia
and part time in Missouri. I like to write stories and
poems but I especially like writing songs. I have loved
music and writing ever since I can remember. One of my
goals is to be able to write things for my children and
grandchildren and also to be able to encourage and help
other people. You can see some things I have written on
my webpages:
PamyPlace
(http://members.aol.com/mblaine/pamy/PamyPlace.htm)
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WALKS IN BEAUTY
by Vance |
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Charity, now a high school junior, "walks in beauty" as
described in the great poem by Lord Byron, in which he
expresses deep admiration for a person whom he has just
met. This "walk in beauty" describes the quality of spirit
emanating from the person which benefits and blesses all
around.
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When Charity was a freshman, a quiet girl sat alone and
friendless at a table in the school cafeteria. She was even
being heckled by a group at another table, a matter that I
was pleased to resolve. But she was still alone in a world
of conversation and laughter -- alone amid 300 fellow
students. This is, perhaps, the worst loneliness of all.
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The teens whom I have known have been, for the most
part, respectful, bright, and well-behaved. However,
although most of our teens are not really cruel, many look
out for themselves and only for their own groups of
selected friends.
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Our lone sophomore girl did not have such a group. As
adults, we cannot, of course, and should not try to control
everything for kids. However, this seemed to me to be an
exception. I asked a cafeteria monitor and trusted
colleague if there was any student in the cafeteria who
might join our lone teen for lunch. She immediately
went to Charity's table, where she was enjoying her lunch
with a full table of friends. Please imagine my surprise
when she came up to me and said that she would be glad
to have lunch with the lone girl. I was shocked.
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On the following day, Charity sat down across from this
girl, started conversation, enjoyed lunch with her, and
talked up a storm -- just the two of them.
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The following morning she came to my office out-of-
breath. Charity had a field trip that day and would miss
lunch. She asked me to tell her new friend, whom she
couldn't find, that she wouldn't be able to make lunch.
She didn't want her friend to think that she had
"dumped" her. I assured her that I would get this
information to the other girl. As promised, I asked one of
the ladies in the cafeteria to convey this thoughtful
message.
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On the next school day, both girls were together again at
lunch, and shared lunch for the rest of the school year.
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Small matters are sometimes the greatest, as William
Blake wrote: "to see the world in a grain of sand." I know
that Charity's deed may seem like a small matter in the
world of things. However, for those of us who know
young people and something about their daily lives and
feelings, it is truly monumental. Not only did she provide
one bright spot in someone's day, but she was deeply
concerned about any mistaken intentions!
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I marvel at the level of maturity and especially the level
of caring demonstrated by Charity. To avoid her deed
going unrecorded, I wrote about it immediately and
shared it with her family and her guidance counselor, so
that someday it might help to show not only the
inspiration which it provided me, but also the kind of
person applying for a college or a future job.
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May her love and beauty live on in my little story forever.
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(This is a real story, but I have changed the name, so as not to embarrass anyone. The name of the real person was published, on the Internet, with family permission, and resulted in hundreds of e-mail responses to her from as far away as Kenya! The fact that caring teens are among us is a great thought unto itself. The name Charity comes from Greek and means love, a caring and unselfish love.)
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Vance Agee 2000
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For those who don't know, Mr. Agee is the Assistant
Principal at Lewiston-Porter High School, Youngstown,
NY. He is also serving as a part-time "adjunct" instructor
in the Department of Education at Niagara University.
Vance also studied at Middlebury College and Faith
Theological Seminary near Philadelphia. He is a member
of the Board of Directors of the Lewiston Council of the
Arts and is a member and a past president of the
Lewiston-Queenston Rotary Club. He is a Rotary Paul
Harris Fellow. He enjoys writing and has decided to write
something new every week and to develop as a writer.
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GARDEN WONDERS
by Peter A. Letendre |
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When young and crawling on my knees | |
amid the flowers big as trees | |
I wondered if I'd grow so high | |
to see the petals eye to eye, | |
or one day climb atop a tree | |
and see the sea of Galilee.
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AGELESS LOVE
by Joseph |
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I saw a lovely old couple in the store the other day. Both
of them had to be in their late seventies or early eighties.
What was so special about them was that while many of
the younger couples nearby were either arguing over
something or not talking at all the old couple was holding
hands, smiling at each other, and talking sweetly together.
I even saw them sneak a kiss once. They had a light in
their eyes that was so beautiful to see. It was clear that they
were in love.
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Love really is an ageless thing. It is the only thing I know
that can grow stronger and stronger even as our own
bodies grow weaker and weaker. Some of the youngest,
most joyous, and loving spirits I know live inside bodies
that are old, weak, and damaged. It is like we can grow
younger and more joyous on the inside while our bodies
grow older on the outside. The key, of course, is love. No
gray hair, wrinkles, or weak muscles has ever taken the
glow out of someone's eyes who has love in their heart.
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Let us all resolve then to choose love today. The love and
joy in our lives will grow greater with each loving choice
we make. As we grow older in body we will grow younger
in spirit. Our later years don't have to be ones of bitterness
and disappointment. They can instead be ones of ever
increasing joy, love, peace, happiness, and oneness with
God.
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God put us on this world to love. God put us here to
choose love, to share love, and to grow in love. All the
years of our lives can be full of love. It is up to us, though.
Will we grow old in misery and loneliness or will we
grow old in happiness and love?
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Joseph Mazzella
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I am a happily married man with 3 wonderful children
who makes a living working with the mentally
handicapped.
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TO THE END OF TIME
by Dee Ann E. L. Horvath |
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So many times we talked of this night | |
But now it is happening and in our sights | |
We want it to be wonderful and memorable | |
For what we have is so unique and incomparable | |
No one could have foretold our story | |
Even we are overwhelmed by it's glory | |
Transformed back to a our once vulnerable time | |
We are here for each other and we shine | |
I only hope in years gone by | |
We look back at this period in our lives | |
Gaze out at the horizon and see our eyes | |
Full of amazement that our expectations | |
Lived up to all we thought they could be | |
For we gave each other a piece of our lives | |
We are joined together to the end of time.
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Dee Ann E. L. Horvath
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I have always been a creative and artistic individual who
loves to write. I love life and meeting people. To me every
person is a novel waiting to be read, some are better than
others are but there is always something to be learned. In
the last year or so I have taken up poetry. It helps me to
sort out my thoughts.
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