Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Rejection (11/15/04)
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TITLE: The One Who Opened the Door By Candace Marra 11/17/04 |
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She dreads her inevitable arrival at the sprawling mansion so far above, yet she longs greatly to be there. The grass looks so soft, its dark green color in beautiful contrast with the sparkly, white mansion and gleaming gates. The rosebushes are covered in bright red, pink, and yellow roses. The sky above this beautiful scene is such a pure blue in contrast with the dull, gray clouds above her. She continues her steady shuffle, determined but fearful.
She has been alone for so long. With fresh tears, she thinks back to the times she longed to be part of the family, only to find herself an outcast. Time for goodnight kisses. Maybe this time…No, passed over once again. Why doesn’t my mommy love me? “Help me, Mommy! I fell off my bike and scraped my knee.” “Get over it! Toughen up!” Christmas time—new toys! Well, for everyone else. I guess a used pair of socks is better than nothing. I dare not cry, or Daddy will beat me again. Why does he hate me so? Maybe the kids at school will like me. “What a disgusting girl! Look what she is wearing! Oooh!” Maybe the teachers…Oh, why won’t anybody give me a chance?
She sobs aloud as she thinks of her lonely state. Unloved, unwanted, all alone. “Oh, but that I didn’t exist!” Afraid to die, but too hurt to live, she ponders the trap she finds herself in—the trap of an unwanted existence. Desperate, she continues on her quest for acceptance—her final hope of receiving love.
She gasps as she realizes she has almost reached the mansion. As she nears the brilliant gates, she hesitates, feeling unworthy to even touch them. To her surprise, they open! She haltingly steps through, glancing around timidly through her hair, with a growing awareness of the contrast between herself and her surroundings. She pauses, wondering if she should turn back—she had made a mistake and didn’t belong in this beautiful place. Tears flow freely down her cheeks as she becomes aware of the beauty of this place. She hears birds cheerfully singing a new melody, as if just for her. She takes in the gentle bubbling of the little stream beneath the arched bridge. Despite feeling so out of place, she feels invited.
Her heart stops as the large double doors open. Her instincts tell her to run, but she finds herself cemented to the ground. She can’t look. She shields her face with her dirty hands and closes her eyes. Will she be rejected again? Will she finally experience the love for which she had always longed? Panic fills her as her knees weaken and she falls to the ground, landing on her bony knees at the feet of the One who opened the door. “Please,” she hears herself faintly say, “Don’t be mad at me for coming.”
She feels the gentle touch of loving arms pick her up from the ground. She finds herself looking into the eyes of the One who opened the door, as He carries her inside. “Welcome home,” He says, smiling with tears in His eyes, then kissing her face. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long.” His white robes become gray as her filth clings to Him, but He doesn’t seem to mind. He continues to hold her in His arms as He says, “Before you knew Me, I loved you, with an everlasting love.” He removes her rags, washes her gently, then clothes her in beautiful white linen. He places a crown upon Her head, his own robes still tarnished with Her past filth. She beholds the beauty He has bestowed upon her, her heart so full she cannot speak. She looks at Him in amazement, knowing His love is enough to satisfy her for all time. “All I have is yours,” He says, “Welcome home.”