Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Sewing (02/22/07)
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TITLE: Articles of Anticipation | Previous Challenge Entry
By Angeline oppenheimer
03/01/07 -
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The lavender infused breeze played gently on the cotton curtains but Hannah was too absorbed to notice. Head locked at an angle, her slender fingers rode the blue cloth in and out with a needle, straight and even like a trail of neatly paced indentations. Her mouth moved in an inaudible whisper, tears polka-doting the little tunic she was working on.
So intend was she, that she didn’t notice her husband slipping in the door.
“Han….are you at it again?” Elkanah’s deep tenor voice echoed against the stone wall.
“Sorry, dear, I’ve been so preoccupied, I’ve yet to fix your dinner.” Hannah raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze.
“You really need to give it up. Can’t you see this sewing spree before every trip to Shiloh is ruining our lives.”
“I can’t take another trip to Shiloh. The furtive whispers, the secret glances, the carefree laughter as the mothers compare notes …I feel like someone locked me out in the rain” Hannah’s eyes were rivers of deep despair, brimming over.
Elkanah took Hannah‘s hands away from the sewing and placed them on his heart.
“You can talk to me if you feel ignored. I feel your anguish, and even more, because I can‘t even help you,” Elkanah cupped Hannah’s face in his callused hands.
Hannah voiced the thought that had been stewing in her mind all afternoon, “Can I not go to the yearly sacrifice tomorrow? My sorrow has eaten a hole in my heart and all the snickering by the other women in the caravan will only make the gapping wound bigger. Oh, I can’t bear it.” She dropped her pained head on his shoulders.
“I want you to go. Don’t worry about what the other women say. Isn’t my love better than ten sons? Just promise me you won’t go on another sewing frenzy….see, the drawers are stuffed with all the baby clothes you made over the years.”
Hannah went over to the chest of drawers and pulled out the clothes one at a time…booties, mittens, hats, tunics, trousers, pajamas…flying them into a mountain of colorful ensemble, in a deliberate attempt to make a point. “I know you think it’s useless making all these…the doctor said I’ll never stand a chance. Your mom thinks I’m crazy, sewing all these in anticipation. But Elk, I’m not crazy…I’m crazy with anticipation of God answering my prayers. Every article is made with prayers and tears and a stubborn faith that God will be moved by my pain.”
“But we’ve prayed and prayed and the answer seems to be no. Sometimes we need to let it go,”
“Let it go? Never…not until I reach menopause,” Hannah let out a laugh to diffuse the tension,” And then there’s Sarah, for an example.”
“Alright, Mrs. Tenaciousness, I give up. Do as you please, but please hide them away from my mom. I don’t want her getting on the nut-case issue again. How about some matzoh and egg for a quick dinner fix?”
The following year, the Elkanah‘s household buzzed with excitement as they got ready for another trip to Shiloh. This time, Elkanah did not insist on Hannah going. As she stepped outside to bid Elkanah good-bye, she had a sarong, ends securely tied, sitting just right on her shoulder holding a bulging sack cradled against her chest. Elkanah reached into the bundle and uncovered two red cheeks peering out of a ball of fluff, sound asleep, unperturbed by the noise generated by the excited crowd and eager donkeys.
Hannah’s almond eyes smiled at Elkanah, “Samuel…I asked the Lord for him.”
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