Perpetua--A Lesson of Love

Recently I've learned a lesson of love

From our 5 1/2  year old grand daughter.
 

Perpetua is a gorgeous little brunette with long curly hair--
And her sparkling dark eyes speak volumes

Without saying a word.
Her dramatic expressions are priceless
While she processes information like a wise little lady.

 

Perpetua lives 2000 miles away--

And we miss her tremendously and

she misses us.

So this five year old has devised a way

To stay connected.

 

Often in the midst of our busy day

The telephone rings.

That familiar wee voice on the other end says,

"Hello Nanny. Would you like me to read a story?"

And she reads and reads and reads

Until she jubilantly exclaims, "The End."

Sometimes Perpetua reads two or three books
During one call.

And sometimes she calls numerous times in one day.

Always to share her version of a story.

Months ago I said, "Perpetua you're such a good reader

You should read to little children at the library."

Without hesitation she quickly replied,

"Nanny I can't read--I just make this stuff up."

 

These days Perpetua is learning to read.

Tenaciously she pronounces every word correctly.

The difficult words are sometimes a challenge
But that doesn't stop our determined little reader.
She labors over each syllable until the sentence is complete.

 

You'd think this happy little girl
Had nothing else to do.

Oh but she does.
She has a very busy life--
Trips to museums, the library, beach, playing
With her sisters, brother, cousins and friends.
Always somewhere to go and something to do.

And yet--
Perpetua takes time out of her day--
Many days
To make phone calls of love.

 

Unselfishly she pours out her energy--

Her time--

Her love.

 

She warms our hearts with giggles of delight~

And I'm sure she warms her own heart in return.

 

This precious little girl

Has taught me

What a treasure

To give the gift of ourselves.

Because in giving--

We receive much more in return.

***

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself."

--Jean Anouilh

"Love is the beauty of the soul."
--Saint Augustine
 

Thank you Perpetua!

Where Are Joy & Peace?

Sadness and drama are everywhere,

But where are joy and peace?

Today there's so much sadness

Over the world.

Some I know of personally--

Family and friends--

And others you may know.

Thoughts of those in crisis and sadness

Have prompted the thought--

Where is peace?

Where is joy?

That reminds me of two people

In whom I saw joy and peace personified.

Although these two could have complained.

They never did.

One was a remarkable man.

I can hardly remember his features

Other than

He could never escape his wheelchair.

He only had half a body.

Yes,

Half a torso.

All of life was a struggle for him--

Just simple things

Like opening a door.

 

But he had the biggest smile--

A light-up-your-day kind of smile.

And he never seemed to have a bad day.

He even drove a car--

And in middle age returned to school.

But that amazing man did not

Enter a car like we do--

He had to climb through the trunk

Pull his wheelchair in

And crawl through to the driver's seat.

Life--

Every day living

Was arduous and probably very painful

But he never complained.

He was always smiling,

Always cheerful

And spreading joy--

To everyone.

 The other special one--

My dear friend Nita.

I knew her from grade school through highschool

But then our paths separated.

Just before Nita left this world

She and I reunited.

She was battling the devastating "C"--

Cancer.

We enjoyed deliciously delightful chats.

 

Sometimes I called her and

Sometimes she called me.

You'd have thought my precious friend

Was sitting on a sunny lanai somewhere

Sipping cappuccino--

Without a care in the world.

 

Positive, joy filled

With rich laughter

Oh how she brightened my days.

 

Never complaining

She talked about life

Living

And her precious family.

 

They were her greatest riches--

And bragging on them

Was her favorite delight.

Chats with Nita

Were always joy filled

And

Sunny.

 

Only a breath away from Eternity--

She was one of the kindest

Joy filled,

Thoughtful-of-others and loving

People I've known.

So when I start complaining

Or

Hear others complain--

I think of that special man in the wheelchair

And my precious friend Nita.

Neither could escape their

Horrific problems for a second.

And yet

Each of them

Chose a higher path.

They surmounted horrendous trials

And chose to spread love, joy and inspiration to others.

 They possessed a deep inner peace

And joy--

Rooted in their unsinkable faith.

Intimately connected

To God

They spread

His peace, love and joy--

Like a contagious breath of life.

 

Each precious One

Left indelible imprints

Upon the hearts and minds of those

Wealthy enough to have known them.

 

I will ever be grateful!

Wealth Beyond Compare

 

Recently we observed wealth beyond compare--

In a most unusual place.

 

Yes the joy and radiance

Was something no amount of money could purchase.

 

While typing those words I thought of Christina Onassis--

Who at one time was the wealthiest woman in the world.

She spent money like waterfalls flowing freely.

But there was something Christina's $3 billion empire could not satisfy--

Her deep desire for love and contentment.

 

Amidst extravagance and opulence

Christina complained she would probably

Never know true love.

And at 37--Christina Onassis died a sad and lonely woman.

 

May I share a much different story?

It's about a lady who

Lacks the financial resources of Christina Onassis

But possesses that for which the shipping heiress yearned.

 

 

A former professional with impressive credentials

She bubbled with excitement about her new job. 

No it's not in the impressive corridors of a Fortune 500 company

Nor is she dressed in a power suit

In a fast paced arena.

 

Instead this elegant and refined professional

Works in a most unusual place.

And hearing her exuberance--

We wanted to see.

So we drove there to observe.

 

There she was--

Back and forth as if floating on a cloud

Waving her arms with the grace of  a maestro

Conducting a philharmonic orchestra.

 

Her face was sun kissed and radiant

From a deep inner glow--

While she sprinkled smiles and love

Here and there

Upon boys and girls, moms and dads--

And all lucky enough to be recipients.

 

Hubby and I were astounded!

How could anyone have so much fun working?

 

But it was more than that--

This special lady

Bequeathed love and joy

Like a precious gift--

And she sparkled as boys and girls, moms and dads

Loved her in return.

 

"A joyful heart is the inevitable result

Of A heart burning with love."

--Mother Teresa

  

That's what we saw

At the school crossing--

A heart burning with love.

 

And today we salute Vernelle Hilborn--

Directing and guarding precious lives at

The school crossing.

 

An elegant lady with joy, peace and a sense of purpose--

Vernelle is making this world a much better place

One moment at a time.  

Miracles Still Happen