Rebekah’s Lesson

August 6, 2014July 28, 2014 / cksdays / Leave a comment

“Granddaughter,” Rebekah heard the older, familiar voice call to her. “Come here, please.”

The eleven year old glanced at her grandmother who was sitting in the shade by their adobe hut which served as a home for her, her older brother, her parents, and her grandmother. Rebekah looked back at the trail that led down to the creek where her friends were gathering to refresh themselves from the summer heat. At first, she thought of continuing her trip down the trail, but she knew better than to ignore her grandmother. Again. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way.

Letting out an audible sigh, she changed her direction and walked over to the venerable woman that sat smiling at her.

“Yes, Grandmother?” Rebekah asked with her head down and making sure the disappointment colored her voice just a little, but not enough to get her into trouble for complaining.

“Ah,” her grandmother said still smiling, “it is nice to see you can learn to obey. Your father will be well pleased.”

Rebekah resented the fact that her shortcomings were common knowledge and looked at her grandmother. She could feel her small face become red with anger, but she dared not say anything.

“And you are learning to control your temper. A feat many in the village thought could not be done!” her grandmother exclaimed as she smiled and tipped her head back.

Rebekah glanced furtively at the trail that disappeared behind the village and wished even more to still be on it.

Her grandmother grew serious. “It is time you and I take a walk.” Rebekah looked at her grandmother just as the elderly woman slowly stood on her feet. “Come,” she said as she held out her hand. “Walk with me before you join your friends.”

There was little else Rebekah could do but to take the skinny, wrinkled hand extended to her and walk beside the frail woman. As they walked, her grandmother leaned on the young girl slightly, who was already the same height as her, to support herself. What time had done to the grandmother’s aging body to slow it down had not touched her mind in the least. Her eyes darted around from one thing to another noticing everything and enjoying the colorful flowers and all the little animals in the dense forest.

When the two had moved far enough away from the village, her grandmother’s voice grew serious. “I saw you today,” she spoke softly as she stopped walking and looked into her granddaughter’s eyes.

“What do you mean, Grandmother?”

“I saw you making fun of Jacob with the other children today.”

Rebekah lowered her head as she thought about the events that had happened earlier that day. “Oh,” she said softly.

“Would you care to explain?”

“The others always make fun of him. They say it is his own fault he was born the way he is. That he must have done something wrong in the great pre-life to be born with his lame foot and blind eyes. They say he is dirty and evil and if I touch him, I will catch his evil spirit.”

Her grandmother continued to look at her almost as if trying to stare into her soul. At least, that’s what Rebekah thought. “First of all,” the older woman sounded loving yet firm, “that is untrue. Every bit of it is untrue. Do you believe me?”

Even though the young girl found these lectures from her grandmother a great inconvenience, she knew better than to disagree with her. She nodded her head once, slowly in agreement.

Her grandmother smiled at her. “Here, let us find a place to sit down while we talk.” Rebekah found a log for the two to sit on and made sure her grandmother was comfortable. “There are always two voices in everyone’s head,” the old woman said. “One is the voice of self, it makes sure that the self is taken care of. Although it is important to listen to, it must not drown out the other voice, the voice of service. This too is an important voice, it tells us to help those around us. When we listen to both voices in the proper way, our lives become harmonious, like a beautiful song, and we are happy.”

Rebekah listened to her grandmother’s words and promised she would try harder to listen to both voices instead of just the self voice.

The next day, Rebekah was walking with one of her friends to the meadow where a group of their friends were meeting, when she heard her grandmother call for her. Instinctively, she rolled her eyes before turning to the elderly woman. “Yes, Grandmother?” she asked nervously.

The wise old woman smiled at her and said, “Come.”

Her granddaughter looked at her friend, who could do nothing more than give her a look of sympathy. Rebekah watched her friend for a moment continue down the path before she slowly walked to the patiently waiting woman. “Yes, grandmother?” she asked again.

“Come,” was again the only reply as the old woman held out her hand. Rebekah helped her grandmother stand and they walked in the same direction as the day before. When they came to the same clearing they had stopped at on their previous walk, the old woman sat down on the log again. Her granddaughter sat down beside her and waited quietly for what was to come.

“I saw you today.”

Rebekah could not help herself and let out an audible sigh. “I did not make fun of Jacob today. I did not make fun of anybody today. In fact, I’ve tried really hard to be good.”

Her grandmother smiled sweetly at her. “I know of your efforts. I saw that you did not join in with the others when they made fun of him today.” She stared into Rebekah’s eyes for a moment. “But I also watched as you passed by Jacob without stopping, even though he was crying out for help.”

“But I tried to be good. I really did. I thought of helping him, I heard the voice of service inside my head to do so, but then, I also heard the self voice disguised as my friends’ voices in my head, and…” she looked down. At the time it happened, her reason for not stopping made perfect sense. But now, it was hard for her to defend herself.

“I would like to share a story with you,” her grandmother spoke softly.

Rebekah’s eyes lit up. Her grandmother knew her granddaughter’s weakness was hearing stories. The young girl could sit and listen for hours if somebody would tell her a story that long. She eagerly nodded her head for her grandmother to continue.

The wise old woman closed her eyes and her words came slowly at first. “This is a story that I heard when I was a young girl at the Great Meeting.” Her eyes opened and they were clear and vivid. “It was told to me by an angel as I sat on his lap. I have remembered this lesson and tried to live it in my everyday life.

“A Nephite went down from Zarahemla and fell among some Gadianton Robbers. These robbers stripped him of his clothes, wounded him, and left him for dead.

“By chance, there came a Chief Judge who passed by. But he crossed over to the other side of the road and continued on his way without stopping.

“A little later, a priest came along. He did not stop either, but continued hastily on his way.

“But a certain Lamanite, as he came along the road had compassion on him. He went to him, and bound up his wounds, put him upon his own beast, and took him to an inn.

“The next day, the Lamanite departed but left the innkeeper two silver senums and told him to take care of the Nephite. He promised if the innkeeper spent more than what he had left, he would pay him back when he traveled back through the land.”

Her grandmother paused for a moment but did not take her eyes from Rebekah’s. “Then the angel asked me which of the three provided this man the greatest service?”

Rebekah noticed her grandmother waiting for a reply. “The Lamanite,” she said softly. Even though there were no more so-called Lamanites and Nephites in the land, she had grown up hearing stories and reading the sacred books that described what life was like before the Great Meeting. She knew enough to know the two groups of people were bitter enemies and despised each other.

“That’s right,” her grandmother smiled. “I will tell you what the angel told me, ‘Go and do thou likewise.’”

The young girl listened intently to the wise woman’s words. “Go and do thou likewise,” she repeated softly.

Her grandmother smiled. “That means listening to service’s voice, even if other voices try to crowd it out. But the thought is the seed, the act is the fruition. Just as planting a fruit tree does no good until it bears fruit, service does not do any good when it remains a thought. The harvest comes with the action.”

Rebekah nodded her head once. The old woman’s words sunk into her heart as she thought of their meaning.

“Come,” her grandmother took her hand. “It is time for you to join your friends.”

The next day, Rebekah ran to her grandmother. “Grandmother, Grandmother,” she called out. The elderly woman came to the door as fast as she could. “Come,” her young granddaughter said as she reached her hand out for the old woman’s hand.

The old woman obligingly walked with the excited little girl to the same spot as the previous two days. Her curiosity was piqued, but she waited for her granddaughter to explain.

“Grandmother,” the young girl said, “I think I understand now what you have been trying to teach me.”

Her grandmother continued to look at her, unsure of where the conversation was leading.

“I saw Jacob today, while I was with my friends. We started to walk by him as usual, but I heard the voice in my head again telling me to stop and help. Quickly, the self voice came also, but this time, I pushed it aside as you said, and I didn’t listen to it. At first, my friends thought I was getting ready to play a joke on him so they stopped and watched me. But when they saw I was trying to help him, their curiosity became greater and they came over to us to see what was going on. When a whole group of us were gathered, Jacob told us a marvelous story, Grandmother, that made me feel so good inside. This is what he said:

‘I have been on this great earth for many years. I can remember when most of your parents were born. Many of your grandparents are friends of mine. Have they told you the story? Do you know and understand what a blessed people we are?

‘I remember the time of great wars and destruction. When our people divided into tribes based on families and how we banded together to get rid of the robbers. I was a young boy then, but I remember it well.

‘I also remember the great earthquakes and darkness that lasted for three days. A darkness so thick and so great, it is hard for you to understand. Though I was born into a dark world, even I could feel this darkness. I remember lying on the ground with my family, for there was not much else we could do, and hearing the groans and moans of people throughout all the land. Those three days were the longest in my life as I sat with the others and waited, and listened.

‘During those three days of darkness, I thought I would die, if I hadn’t already. Perhaps, I thought, I have already passed on and this is the great after life.

‘Then, in my darkest despair, a most marvelous thing happened. A voice from heaven was heard. His voice which brought the greatest comfort and feeling.

‘At the end of the three days, after it had again become light, my father carried me, as he led the rest of my family to the temple. We were among those that decided to gather there to find out what we should do next. Listen very carefully to what I say next because this is the most exciting part of my story. You see, while we were there, Jesus Christ himself came and taught those of us gathered there. Do each of you hear and understand what I am saying? I was there when our Savior came.

‘After He had taught us many wonderful things, He told us to go home and prepare ourselves for the next day because He would come back and teach us more. I was so sad that the day had come to an end. There must have been others who felt the same way, because instead of leaving, He took pity on us. He asked us to bring all our sick and afflicted to him.. He could have left, there was work to be done, but He asked for us to come to Him.

‘My father carried me to Him. I was very excited because I knew He had the power to help me see and to let me walk. More than anything, I wanted to be able to run with the other children my age. When it came time for Him to lay His hands on me, I heard His gentle voice ask, ‘Jacob, what is it thou desires?’ Instead of saying that I wanted to be healed, I remained quiet. I thought that I had wanted to be healed more than anything, but another thought crept into my mind, and I could not answer.

‘Jacob,’ my father said trying to get me to reply.

‘I heard the Savior’s voice again. ‘He desires a far greater thing than you realize.’ And I thought I heard him wipe away a tear.

‘Father,’ I said, ‘I desire to help other people find the Savior as we have found Him. I will keep my blind eyes and lame foot and others will find the Savior through service to me.’

‘My father carried me back to my family and explained what had happened. Many tears were shed that day, but none so great as mine for I had truly been given a great gift.’

Rebekah finished the narrative and looked at her grandmother with tears in her eyes. “I have learned, to serve others is to show our love for our Savior.”

It took a moment before her grandmother could speak. “Granddaughter,” she said softly with tears in her eyes, “you have done well. Remember this feeling you feel right now, because the self voice will always attempt to overpower service’s voice. Remember your feelings. Remember Jacob’s words. Remember my teachings.”

The two embraced and hugged tightly.

The Stormy Night

August 28, 2013August 14, 2016 / cksdays / 11 Comments

The old priest stood by the big front doors of the church and watched the blizzard. “I feel like I’m in a snow globe,” he said to only the falling snow. After a few moments of reflection, he closed the doors and shuffled back inside the chapel. Most of the parishioners stayed home locked safely in their warm houses, only a few of the regulars braved the snowstorm to come to church that evening. After seven o’clock, nobody came. The chapel was empty except for one man who had been sitting on the same pew for most of the evening.

It was not an unfamiliar sight to the priest. He had seen more than a few poor souls racked with torment and guilt. But this man didn’t once look around to find a priest or to search out a confessional, he kept to himself. That intrigued the old cleric.

The priest watched all evening as the younger man alternated positions of having his head rest on the pew in front of him and stretching back and looking at the ceiling. Even though his old body was beginning to slow down, the priest was proud of the fact he still had a pretty good memory – especially when it came to faces. He knew he had never seen the young man in the church before.

The priest started a systematic check of each row to make sure hymnals were put away. As he worked his way down the chapel, row by row, he glanced at the man from time to time. When he finally got to the man’s row, he asked, “Excuse me, are there any hymn books on this row?

The man, who appeared to be about thirty, looked to the side of him and then back at the priest. “No, sir.”

“Mind if I sit?” The priest pointed to the pew in front of the man.

The younger man sat up and straightened his tie. “I’m not a member,” he said and waved his hand to signify the building. “I just came in here because I need a place to think.”

“Oh yes,” the priest nodded his head and sat down. “Everyone is welcome here.”

The young man looked at the priest and forced a laugh.

The priest looked at the expensive suit on the young man and noticed it seemed to contradict his appearance. It had been soaked through with snow and still looked pretty damp. A puddle of muddy water formed at his feet from snow. It also looked as if he had worn that suit for several days and it had been awhile since he had shaved. His black, thick hair had apparently been greased back at one time, but now was frizzing giving the young man a wild appearance. “You don’t believe me?” The priest rested his right stubby leg on the bench so that he could see the young man’s face.

The man played with a wedding band in his fingers and stared down at the floor.

“My son, what troubles you?”

Continue reading →

The Frog Ball

October 12, 2012October 1, 2016 / cksdays / 5 Comments

Situated in a land far away there once was a magnificent kingdom. The kingdom is now long forgotten even in the history books. It is forgotten to everyone except to the local people in a tiny village in the shadow of the ruins. They descended from the people who inhabited this once lavish kingdom. Their ancestors once ruled and lived in the region. Of course, the only proof of their claim is a tale that has been passed down from generation to generation. The folklore is revered and they refuse to share it with the world. But I recently had the privilege of visiting this land and thanks to my charming ways one of the older inhabitants shared the story. Continue reading →

Thank You Ms. Szemenski

August 11, 2011January 8, 2018 / cksdays / 1 Comment

His Story…

“Hold the elevator!” I called to Ms. Szemenski. She scrunched her nose at me as the doors closed. “That woman is evil,” I said out loud to what I thought was the empty lobby.

“You think so?” I heard a familiar voice behind me say.

I turned around quickly, embarrassed anyone heard me. “Oh, I’m glad it’s you,” I said to Riley, my gorgeous next door neighbor. “I thought you were Szemenski’s daughter, then I’d really be in for it.” It was a supposed to be a witty joke, and Riley was kind enough to smile politely, “Not that I could mistake you for her,” I thought of how closely Szemenski’s daughter resembled a sumo wrestler, “or anything.”

“Glad to hear it, Kurt,” Riley continued to smile her polite, yet dazzling smile as she pushed the ‘up’ button for the elevator.

I decided the best thing to do would be to change topics. “So, you’re playing a gig tonight?” As soon as I said the word ‘gig’ both of us flinched, there’s some vernacular I really shouldn’t try to use.

She nodded and her blue eyes seemed to pierce my very soul. The elevator dinged to announce it’s presence to us. I thought I had to be dreaming and yelled, “Five more minutes!” My arm spastically went flying behind me searching for my alarm clock.

Riley laughed nervously. “I think you just need to step in,” she said trying to get to the elevator behind me without getting too close to me or my waving arm.

I forced a laugh that probably made her more nervous and followed her in.

The doors closed and we were the only two in the elevator. Thank you Mrs. Szemenski, I thought, now is the time to be cool and witty.

The elevator car was very quiet.

“So,” she said apparently forgetting about the spastic arm just seconds earlier, “you just getting off work?”

I tugged at my tie to loosen it. “Yeah,”play it cool, “You?”

She nodded, “Yeah, just in time to change and head to the bar to set up for tonight.” Her fingers were playing with the top button of her pizza uniform.

“Oh,” I said searching for something witty but my mind went completely blank like a computer screen during a power outage. “So, you work for We Za Pizza, now? How do you like that?”

Riley looked at me. “It’s a job. Better hours than the department store, so that’s nice.” She hit the button to her floor again as if to make it hurry faster.

I looked at the doors. “That’s good,” I had no idea what I was saying. If only I could think of something amusing to say. Nothing came to me. “So, I was thinking, maybe some friends and I might come tonight. To listen to your band play, of course.”

I followed as her eyes looked down at my feet and slowly made their way up to my face. “I don’t think we play your kind of music,” she said slowly.

“No, see, I know this is how I look now, but it’s just for work. I clean up nicely, well, not that I wouldn’t be clean if I were to dress…” Danger Will Robinson, will somebody please shut me up! “That is to say, I mean, I look different now, but that’s just the work side of me. I have many different sides to me. I am a very complicated… fellow.”

Why don’t I just use my tie as a noose and put everyone out of their misery?

I held my breath waiting for her reaction to my blundering. If she never answered, I was prepared to die from asphyxiation. After my rambling, I would be doing a service for everyone.

To my relief, she smiled again, and I was able to release my intake of air. Unfortunately, I blew it right in her face.

She blinked her eyes. “We play at ten tonight.” Again, she sized me up. “Is that too late for you?”

“No!” Does she think I’m some kind of kid? “Today’s Friday, so I can sleep in tomorrow.” I stared straight ahead after I said it. Did I really have to share that much info with her?

She laughed. “Well, it will be nice to have a fan in the audience.” The elevator stopped at our floor and the door opened. “I’ll see you tonight.” We stepped out of the elevator and walked to our apartments.

Only after I closed my door did I realize, Who am I going to get to come with me tonight? I have no friends here, yet. No matter. One way or another I was going to hear Riley’s band. Thank you Ms. Szemenski.

*********

Her Story…

“Hold the elevator!” Kurt hollered as the door was closing. Whoever was inside, let it close and I figured there was only one tenant in the building who would do such a thing: Ms. Szemenski.

“That woman is evil,” Kurt said.

“You think so?” I answered sarcastically.

Kurt jumped and turned around. “Oh, I’m glad it’s you,” he said and I couldn’t help but smile. He was tall, even taller than me, with brown wavy hair, but clean cut, and the most brilliant green eyes. ““I thought you were Szemenski’s daughter, then I’d really be in for it.” He spoke rapidly, “Not that I could mistake you for her, or anything.” Too bad I’m not his type. I looked down at my bare midriff where my ring was poking out of my belly button. Definitely not his type.

“Glad to hear it, Kurt,” I can be just as polite as he is, and I forced a smile. I pushed the ‘up’ button for the elevator.

“So,” he spoke again politely, “you’re playing a gig tonight?” I flinched because it was embarrassing he knew we were always playing at the same old bar.

The elevator dinged and he jumped. He yelled, “Five more minutes,” and he reached his arm back like he was looking for an alarm clock. It was as if he was acting goofy on purpose to cheer me up. It was working. “I think you just need to step in,” I said as I laughed nervously and stepped into the car. How could he possibly of known I had a rotten day and needed to laugh?

The doors closed and we were alone. I could have asked him several questions like how he liked being here since he moved in a month ago. Any number of things, but I figured he was used to more sophisticated conversation. “So, you just getting off work?”

“Yeah, you?” he asked. I felt like our conversation was like the old Atari game pong. And just as exciting.

I nodded, and could feel my cheeks turn red as I looked at my uniform. As embarrassing as it was for him to know my band was playing at the same old bar, me working at the pizza place was worse. “Yeah, just in time to change and head to the bar to set up for tonight,”

“Oh,” he said coolly. “So, you work for We Za Pizza now?” I closed my eyes as I realized the last time I talked to him, I still had my old job. I could just imagine him keeping some giant checklist with all the girls he meets and right now my name just received a huge checkmark beside the word FLAKE. “How do you like that?”

I had to be honest. I looked into his eyes, hoping he’d see the real me, and answered, “It’s a job.” That’s where the honesty ended. “ Better hours than the department store, so that’s nice.” Truth was, I got fired for being late too many times. It’s hard to get up in the mornings after playing at the bar all night.

I hit the button to my floor again to make the elevator go faster. I really didn’t want him to think I was a complete idiot before we got out of the elevator.

“That’s good,” he said nicely. “So, I was thinking, maybe some friends and I might come tonight.” I looked at him. “To listen to your band play, of course.”

He wants to come and listen to my band play? I looked at him from toe to head and realized, he was too uptown for the dive we play at. “I don’t think we play your kind of music.”

“No, see, I know this is how I look now,” he spoke rapidly, “but it’s just for work. I clean up nicely, well, not that I wouldn’t be clean if I were to dress…” He rambled on. I was used to guys who weren’t nervous around me at all, they just took what they wanted and said what they wanted without really respecting my feelings or thoughts. Kurt was different. Kurt was a nice guy and was a little nervous around me. I felt flattered and I hadn’t felt that way in a long time.

“I am a very complicated,” he continued, “fellow.”

I couldn’t help but smile and I could feel his hot breath on my face. “We play at ten tonight.” I looked at him again, worried that he might have to get up early in the morning for work. “Is that too late for you?”

“No!” He exclaimed. “Today’s Friday, I can sleep in tomorrow.”

I couldn’t help myself and laughed. “Well, it will be nice to have a fan in the audience,” and I meant it more than he realized. Normally, we just get a bunch of drunks who could not care less for our music and were there for the socializing.

The elevator opened to our floor. “I’ll see you at ten, then.” We stepped out and walked down the hall. I couldn’t help but smile. Thank you Mrs. Szemenski.