Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: CHARGE (10/13/22)
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TITLE: Into the Valley | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jennifer Percell
10/19/22 -
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“'Due west 'cross the Peppermint Sea.' And that, Ava, was The Walloping Window Blind by Charles Edward Carryl.”
“Oh Grandma, I can't believe you can recite the whole thing! That was 12 stanzas! It would be so cool if I could do that”. said Ava. “I love the part about the 'Tickletoeteasers claws'”.
Watching Ava and her grandmother make memories, I wanted time to stand still. We knew Ava would hardly remember the great times they had together, at six she would retain only vague pieces of these precious days, but maybe her heart would remember the joy.
“Do the one with six hundred horses Grandma!”.
“Oh, that one is sad, how about the Good Ship Lollipop?”
I was glad she didn't do the Charge of the Light Brigade, it always stirred too many feelings in me. Tennyson packed deep emotions into those lines. The obedient soldiers who rode to their death under mistaken orders brought out my indignation against everything unjust. And lately justice seemed to be an elusive concept. Why were they heroes? Shouldn't they have to refused to march into a death trap? Their trust in leadership was betrayed, and so many lives were wasted.
Trust, I don't know who to trust. The doctor says it may be nothing, but I know he is only trying to give me hope. There is a tumor, the headaches are worse every day. When he talks about possible surgery and treatment, I don't know how to put a positive spin on my future. Ava needs me, mom needs me, surely God won't let me be ill now when so many depend on me. But I know He may, He may let me suffer illness in spite of prayers to be spared. I need to trust His wisdom, my mind knows that, but those British soldiers trusted and look what happened to them.
“Ava wants to write a poem, she's such a sweet girl.”
“Oh, Mom, I didn't hear you.”
“You are a million miles away dear. Are you worried?”
“I am trying not to worry, but there are so many what ifs. You know every time I hear that poem, I get so mad!”
“The Good Ship Lollipop? How could that make you mad?”
“No mom, The Charge of the Light Brigade of course. I have heard it so many times, 'theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die.' Am I riding into the 'valley of Death' just like they did? Will I trust the doctors only to find out they were wrong?”
Wrapped in her gentle arms I could let the tears flow. Oh, to be a child again, safe from fear and pain.
“You forgot one line you know.”
“I can't remember much, what did I forget?”
“'Someone had blundered', Tennyson didn't want to lay blame in his poem, he wanted to tell the story of good soldiers who showed courage, honor, nobility. He gave glory to their sacrifice. But he told the truth, the honest truth that human error called for the charge. It's true, my dear that you are headed into battle, but your Leader is not human, not a man who will send you to hopeless places. No one has blundered in your story.”
“But how can I know they won't? What if the doctor makes a bad decision? What if he missed this tumor last year and it's grown out of control?”
“I don't have all the answers, but I know this:
'A horse is a vain hope for deliverance.
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those
who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His
unfailing love, to deliver them from death...'” *
Once again, from the depths of the Word hidden in her heart, she was able to pull out just what I needed. My God does not make blunders, He does not desert His people to hopelessness. He has conquered death, I knew that one at least, ' where, oh death, is your victory, where, oh death is your sting'. *
How could I fear this unknown when He had brought me through so many valleys? Like the soldiers I could charge ahead, but not into hopelessness. The battle cry of my God leads only to light and life and love.
Psalm 33:17-19, I Cor. 15:55
*Based on my life.
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