Earlier
this year my dad’s wife, Amy, won a gold medal at the state senior games in
Raleigh, NC, for her essay about her childhood. Go here to read this essay. Go ahead –
it won’t take you long. I’ll wait.
Done
now? When I first read it I couldn’t decide if Amy was brave or crazy to share
that story (sorry Amy – it’s true!). But
when I read this paragraph I realized that the story contains an important
message:
“My parents’ influence and their
continued acceptance of me have made a vast difference in my life. I learned
from them to love freely, to be forgiving, to accept and show respect for
others, to know that all people have worth and should be treated with dignity…”
The
love Amy’s parents felt for her gave them the ability to accept the child she
was – in fact I’m sure they celebrated
the child she was. I had that same kind of love from my parents. Love can
really make or break us, can’t it? It can be devastating if we feel as though
no one loves us.
I
wonder what my world would look like if I behaved as if everyone I met was
worthy of love? And if they could tell that I thought they had value? What if I
gazed upon their ten penny nails with love and compassion? I wonder…
I loved the essay. She is quite a writer. She is certainly not crazy in sharing it. It is a perfect story about being an innocent child during the depression. An only child on a large farm with an imaginary friend. What could be better than that shiny tricycle for the two of them to ride? And how honestly she hated the doll she thought took the trike's place under the tree.
ReplyDeleteIn that relatively short essay, Amy gave us great insight into a rural pastor's family. It is rich and beautiful.
With your talent and Linthead's talent, and Amy's talent it must be such fun to sit around after dinner. I hope your dad also shares the talent.
That was an excellent essay! The story about the doll was especially effective. Her parents might have offset some of her disappointment if they'd told her straight away, before Christmas, that they couldn't afford the tricycle. Her expectations might have been tempered a bit, you know?
ReplyDeleteI can't read the essay now because I have a doctor's apt. this morning, but I'll come back later. It sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNCmountainwoman is spot on. Your family is loaded with talent.
ReplyDeleteWhat IF we looked on everyone as deserving of love? Wish I could remember that every moment of every day!
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