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+--- Thread: Family !!! (/Thread-Family)
Family !!! - jimswin - 23-06-2007
Jillibeans is jetting down to SA today (hopefully in time to see her Mom) after her Mom had a stroke last week.
Things do not look good. Prognosis is that Mom will not last very long.
Her Sister is still located in SA, but due to a fight with her Mom last year refuses to have anything to do with her Mom, despite pleas from us and the other sister in UK who is having an operation today after waiting 6 months ( so we could not expect her to help right now) therefore our intervention.
I am muttering about this because I felt that fights should be the last thing in mind at times like this.
Still if one believes in Karma, you reap what you sow with interest somewhere down the line. I dont wish any bad luck on Jillibeans sister though.
Jillibeans came across this little story in the week and Emailed it to me while I was travelling in Holland this week.
I thought it was excellent and thought I would share it.
Apologies to the Mods if I am in the wrong section.
RED MARBLES
I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.
Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
"Hello Barry, how are you today?" "H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good."
"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma? "Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time." "Good. Anything I can help you with?"
"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller.
"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."
"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"
"All I got's my prize marble here."
"Is that right? Let me see it" said Miller.
"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store owner asked.
"Not zackley but almost."
"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble". Mr. Miller told the boy.
"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller." Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples,
tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store."
I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.
Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.
Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.
"Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.
They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them.
Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt."
"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this >world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ."
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband.
Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.
The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.
Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...An unexpected phone call from an old friend...
Green stoplights on your way to work...
The fastest line at the grocery store...
A good sing-along song on the radio...
Your keys found right where you left them.
Send this to the people you'll never forget. I just Did...
If you don't send it to anyone, it means you are in way
too much of a hurry to even notice the ordinary miracles when they occur.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED
Family !!! - Venus - 23-06-2007
I'm sorry to hear about Jillibeans' mom. I'll keep you all in my thoughts & prayers. Please give Jillibeans our love when you speak to her later. :hug:
Family !!! - TheDuck - 23-06-2007
Hi Jim, I hope everything works out with Jillibeans' Mom
nice marbles story too
Family !!! - mcamp999 - 23-06-2007
Hi Jim
I can relate to this, as we are in a simiar situation with a sister who has gone off on her own way and no longer considers herself to be part of the family. It was particularly hard when she pursued her own selfish ways when my father was dying and in a way possibly contributed to him going faster.
Families hey, you don't get to choose them, they choose you.
Family !!! - jimswin - 24-06-2007
I just spoke to Jillibeans,
She thanks everyone for the comments of support and prayers.
Things do not look good nd the minister is there as well. They do not think that Mom will make the day.
I am happy ( despite the circumstances) that Jillibeansgot to see her Mom before She went.
My mom passed away in 2006 in the UK and I literally missed her passing by an hour and a half. It takes a while to work something like that through if you are not there at the end.
Thanks for all the prayers and comments folks.
Family !!! - Pronkertjie - 24-06-2007
[COLOR="Purple"]Hi Jim.... sorry to hear about Jilliebeans mother. Saying goodbye this way is just not something we can practice and get good at.
Hope her sister will come to her senses too - no one needs this added strain during this time.
Please tell her I am thinking of her!
:bunch:[/COLOR]
Family !!! - oe-la-la - 24-06-2007
:hug: Sending a hug to jilliebeans - glad she can be with her mum in this sad time. Keeping them in my prayers
Family !!! - gwasi - 26-06-2007
:hug: to jillibean and family.
Like Pronks I hope her sister see's her way past the bitterness and anger. She will never forgive herself if she is not there.
Family !!! - benoniboy - 26-06-2007
I am sorry to hear about Jilliebeans mother.
I too have family issues. Pride and honour sometimes force families to live apart and not communicate. Often the issues can only be resolved with a mediator. When two sides are "at war" it needs an outside, sometimes neutral, person to intervene and try and get people to talk about the issues.
I used to try and get a mate of mine to sort things out with his siblings, I just could not undertsand how he could live his lfe without having contact with his brother and sister. And then it happened to me. It hurts me to be in this situation but c'est la vie!
Wish you and your family well.
Benoniboy
Family !!! - jimswin - 26-06-2007
Thanks for all the good wishes folks, I will pass them on to Jillibeans when we chat next time. She does not have internet access at the moment in Dundee and is spending large chunks of time just being with her Mom who seems to slip in and out of lucidity. Her sister in law has been a rock as well and is supporting Jillibeans down there too. Jillibeans has also found that her Mom has a super friend in the church there who has taken Mom into her home in the meantime. We will see how it goes this week, and this lady has offered to continue looking after Mom, but we will employ a helper to assist if things look up.
The doc says it is only a matter of timenow, as some of her major organs are also showing signs of shutting down.
I agree with the comments about forgiving and forgetting. I sadly learned this lesson only after having a fight with my brother and never patching it up and sadly to bury him after a tragic acident. The curious thing is it only came back to bug me some 16 years later.