The soft patter of spring rain beat in tune with the rocker. The scent intoxicating; flowers abundant mixed with the fragrance of fresh green melting into a sparkling mist that hugged the ground. And to top it off, scattered rays of warmth shone from the sun, teasing like a lover to give more, maybe...
This is the magic of living in the rainy country. Life piles up on itself. No sooner than a form starts to decay, another takes root in the nutritious rot and grows tall and proud...until it too succumbs to the master of time and gives itself over to yet another.
Could it be that the people of this valley, too, follow this natural rhythm? Not yet gone, but already providing the fodder for another's growth. And some, long gone, still offering the much needed nourishment for those to come.
These are the thoughts that wandered through the old woman's mind as she watched time pass. Her wrinkled face wrinkled even more as a broad smile washed across her face.
'Loveworthy is like that,' she thought. 'She's gone many years now, and still she reaches out to share, to offer life and hope. Her life can nourish others, if her story be told. That's why I hang on, to tell that story. Then, I can go...when I know someone heard it.'
So, wait she did for the people to come back. And, eventually they did. For something about Loveworthy caught in their throat, caused their heart to skip a beat. They wanted to know what. So, they came.
'Somea you folks is those "born-again" types' started the old woman, peering into the crowd. 'I seen you at the tent the other day, heard the talk about the "day" someone was "born again". I don't know bout that, see. I figure you was born once and that's just about enough. But, when I saw y'all out there, I remembered a story about Loveworthy.'
'Now, Loveworthy's parents didn't raise her in that "born again" religion. They was just regular Lutherans. I think they believe you're just born once too, but don't quote me on it. Better ask one of them Pastors. Anyway, one day Loveworthy was late comin to my house. When she finally arrived, she had this faraway look in her eyes. I seen this a bunch of times with her. She always seemed to be living here and someplace far distant at the same time. But this day was different.'
'This day she came with tears in her eyes. "What," I asked her "got into you, child?" The day couldn't be any brighter and I knew she was building a treefort that day. "Why the long face?" I asked.'
'As if pulling herself from a distant star, Loveworthy strained to focus on me. With tears in her bright blue eyes, she told me, "Last night when I was waiting for my dad, I felt Jesus come into my heart."'
'"But child," I challenged, "you always feel close to Jesus. It's near all you speak about, that and that Bible of yours."'
'"No!" she cried. "It's different! I actually felt him next to me and then become one with me, in my body! I can't even describe how it felt! I've been thinking and the closest I can come is the time I jumped out of the tree into the leaf pile. Well, of course, I'm talking about before I hit the pile...when I was still in the air. It felt like I was flying, like I could go anywhere I wanted with just a thought, like I didn't have to pay attention to gravity, like I could soar to the stars! That's how it felt!"'
'I was taken back by that, didn't know how to respond. Was her wild imagination taking her on another ride? Was she slippin over the edge? I wondered about that sometimes. I couldn't rightly tell. But now that I think about it, it might nota mattered what I said cuz soon as she finished telling me, she was so far away. She changed that day. She was always deeply faithful, like her daddy. But, I think she really did see Jesus that night. After that's when she started talking about being a missionary in Africa, about dedicating her life to God...'
'And see, that's what she did, from protecting the boy that was slow in the head from the bullies, to singing at the nursing home on Sundays, to fighting for the earth, God save her. That's what she did. Many a one was touched by that loving heart, some of you too, I venture to guess.'
'So, you see. This is what I don't understand. And, maybe you religious folks can explain it to me in simple language, language even an old woman like myself can understand...'
'How is it possible that this girl who gave herself entirely to her God could be bad? How does such a tender, loving heart suddenly change with the tide of hormones into the loathsome creature you all cast her to be? Tell me that cuz try as I might, I just don't get it.'
This is the magic of living in the rainy country. Life piles up on itself. No sooner than a form starts to decay, another takes root in the nutritious rot and grows tall and proud...until it too succumbs to the master of time and gives itself over to yet another.
Could it be that the people of this valley, too, follow this natural rhythm? Not yet gone, but already providing the fodder for another's growth. And some, long gone, still offering the much needed nourishment for those to come.
These are the thoughts that wandered through the old woman's mind as she watched time pass. Her wrinkled face wrinkled even more as a broad smile washed across her face.
'Loveworthy is like that,' she thought. 'She's gone many years now, and still she reaches out to share, to offer life and hope. Her life can nourish others, if her story be told. That's why I hang on, to tell that story. Then, I can go...when I know someone heard it.'
So, wait she did for the people to come back. And, eventually they did. For something about Loveworthy caught in their throat, caused their heart to skip a beat. They wanted to know what. So, they came.
'Somea you folks is those "born-again" types' started the old woman, peering into the crowd. 'I seen you at the tent the other day, heard the talk about the "day" someone was "born again". I don't know bout that, see. I figure you was born once and that's just about enough. But, when I saw y'all out there, I remembered a story about Loveworthy.'
'Now, Loveworthy's parents didn't raise her in that "born again" religion. They was just regular Lutherans. I think they believe you're just born once too, but don't quote me on it. Better ask one of them Pastors. Anyway, one day Loveworthy was late comin to my house. When she finally arrived, she had this faraway look in her eyes. I seen this a bunch of times with her. She always seemed to be living here and someplace far distant at the same time. But this day was different.'
'This day she came with tears in her eyes. "What," I asked her "got into you, child?" The day couldn't be any brighter and I knew she was building a treefort that day. "Why the long face?" I asked.'
'As if pulling herself from a distant star, Loveworthy strained to focus on me. With tears in her bright blue eyes, she told me, "Last night when I was waiting for my dad, I felt Jesus come into my heart."'
'"But child," I challenged, "you always feel close to Jesus. It's near all you speak about, that and that Bible of yours."'
'"No!" she cried. "It's different! I actually felt him next to me and then become one with me, in my body! I can't even describe how it felt! I've been thinking and the closest I can come is the time I jumped out of the tree into the leaf pile. Well, of course, I'm talking about before I hit the pile...when I was still in the air. It felt like I was flying, like I could go anywhere I wanted with just a thought, like I didn't have to pay attention to gravity, like I could soar to the stars! That's how it felt!"'
'I was taken back by that, didn't know how to respond. Was her wild imagination taking her on another ride? Was she slippin over the edge? I wondered about that sometimes. I couldn't rightly tell. But now that I think about it, it might nota mattered what I said cuz soon as she finished telling me, she was so far away. She changed that day. She was always deeply faithful, like her daddy. But, I think she really did see Jesus that night. After that's when she started talking about being a missionary in Africa, about dedicating her life to God...'
'And see, that's what she did, from protecting the boy that was slow in the head from the bullies, to singing at the nursing home on Sundays, to fighting for the earth, God save her. That's what she did. Many a one was touched by that loving heart, some of you too, I venture to guess.'
'So, you see. This is what I don't understand. And, maybe you religious folks can explain it to me in simple language, language even an old woman like myself can understand...'
'How is it possible that this girl who gave herself entirely to her God could be bad? How does such a tender, loving heart suddenly change with the tide of hormones into the loathsome creature you all cast her to be? Tell me that cuz try as I might, I just don't get it.'
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