Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: FAMILY (01/21/16)
-
TITLE: The Rescues | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marlene Bonney
01/26/16 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
“Lord, will I ever feel whole again?” a mantra to his heart’s yearning, while smoky puffs from his pursed lips echoed through the frosty air.
He had been anxious to leave the empty house, a testament to his loneliness. No grandchildren’s fingerprints smudged the walls there, no knitting projects by the coffee table, no snores from the upstairs bedroom that had belonged to his son. He was starkly alone inside, his wife long gone and their only son bombed in Iraq before he could marry or have any offspring to comfort Stanley in old age. The only upside to this untimely death was that Grace did not live to suffer through the bereavement and grief he had. He thought constantly about changing his will so that State Probate would not take over his house and land, a legacy that would have gone to his son. . .
The man’s melody stopped abruptly at the banks of the river running through his property, awed again by it’s tenacity to flow along, refusing to succumb to the lowering temperatures and Old Man Winter’s huffing.
“Here they are, just like clockwork,” watching them closely as they approached through the rising misty fog, “Hey, you guys!”
Stanley removed the bag of bread-crust crumbs from his bulging coat pocket and threw them onto the water’s surface, smiling as the ducks daintily grabbed and nibbled away.
“Daddy, Mommy, Lucita, Carmella, Jose—wait a minute, where’s Poco?” peering at the three children as they bobbed their way through the crumb-ridden path after their parents.
Even as the duck family—minus one—devoured their breakfast, Stanley’s eyes darted up and down the bank edges, seeking out the missing sibling. As if in answer to his search, the two adult ducks circled, about-face, while their three little ones followed behind, playing the usual routine of “Follow the Leader.” They traveled that way for a few yards, the old man gingerly stepping alongside them on damp ground, wondering at their re-directed route.
“Why, Poco, you little scamp, there you are!”
Caught up in an unexpected current, the baby duckling had been tossed up in algae-coated swaying reeds that were so thick he was stuck there, unable to join the family picnic. Stanley began to wade through the shallow waters to release Poco. Even as he prepared to do so, Mama, Papa, Lucita, Carmella and Jose encircled the reed patch, nudging its edges until the algae slowly dissipated, eventually releasing the baby from his reedy prison.
“Because that’s what families do,” Stanley mumbled, “support, rescue and take care of one another,” mourning that his family was no more.
That afternoon, Justin and Jasmine, a young couple from Stanley’s church, stopped by with some homemade stew and fresh apple pie. They visited together awhile, soothing the old man’s bruised heart.
“If only Grace was here, she could fill in the gaps of my limited conversation,” his response as they took their leave.
Every day for the next few weeks, someone from his church stopped by: Pastor Dan with an encouraging prayer, the Connor family brought their sleeping newborn baby to show him, some of the basketball team dropped in to share their victorious win (play-by-play). Various friends shared meals, some Sunday School children came and sang cute little songs, a middle-aged couple— grown son in tow— shared pictures of their recent trip to the Holy Land. Cards and phone calls peppered throughout, as well. It wasn’t long until there were toddler fingerprints on his windows and scattered left-behind toys littering corners of the living room. . .
Stanley began responding to this outpouring of concern, joining a Men’s Prayer Group, attending church more regularly and accompanying ministry teams to reach out to needy ones in the congregation. A retired licensed electrician and plumber, he was able to help people with general house repairs.
The next time Stanley went to feed the duck family before the river froze solid, his heart was light and his spirit joyful.
“Thank you, God, for the family You have given me, so much larger than my previous one. Tomorrow, I will visit the lawyer and change my will, leaving my assets to the church for outreach ministries, like the one that helped me through my grief.”
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
God bless~