I listen.
That's where
my stories
come from. I
speak. That's
how I get to
meet the most
incredible
people. But
sometimes just
listening from
afar is enough
to fill my
heart. I don't
always need to
say hello to
bring a
perfect
stranger into
my life.
Conversations
overheard are
lessons in
life sometimes
even more
powerful than
those we are a
part of.
This brief
encounter
filled my day
to capacity.
If only they
knew the gift
they gave me.
She
must have been
6 years old,
this
beautiful golden
haired,
freckled faced
image of
innocence. Her
Mom looked
like someone
from the
Walton's or a
moment
captured by
Norman
Rockwell. Not
that she was
old fashioned.
Her
light-brown
hair
was shoulder
length with
enough curl to
appear
natural. She
had on a pair
of blue jeans
and dark-red,
knit, shirt.
Her sneakers
were white
with a blue
trim.
She looked
like a Mom.
It was raining
outside. The
kind of rain
that gushes
over the tops
of rain
gutters, so
much in a
hurry to hit
the Earth it
has no time to
flow down the
spout. Drains
in the nearby
parking lot
were filled to
capacity and
some were
blocked so
that huge
puddles were
like lakes
around parked
cars. We all
stood there
under the
awning and
just inside
the door of
the Wal-Mart.
We waited,
some
patiently,
others
aggravated
because nature
messed up
their hurried
day.
I am always
mesmerized by
rain fall. I
get lost in
the sound and
sight of the
heavens
washing away
the dirt and
dust of the
world.
Memories of
running,
splashing so
carefree as a
child come
pouring in as
a welcome
reprieve from
the worries of
my day.
Her voice was
so sweet as it
broke the
hypnotic
trance we were
all caught in.
"Mom, let's
run through
the rain," she
said.
"What?" Mom
asked.
"Let's run
through the
rain!" she
repeated.
"No, honey.
We'll wait
until it slows
down a bit,"
Mom replied.
This young
child waited
about another
minute and
repeated her
statement.
"Mom. Let's
run through
the rain."
"We'll get
soaked if we
do," Mom said.
"No we won't,
Mom. That's
not what you
said this
morning," the
young girl
said as she
tugged at her
Mom's arm.
"This morning?
When did I say
we could run
through the
rain and not
get wet?"
"Don't you
remember? When
you were
talking to
Daddy about
his cancer,
you said, "If
God can get us
through this,
He can get us
through
anything!"
The entire
crowd stopped
dead silent. I
swear you
couldn't hear
anything but
the rain. We
all stood
silently. No
one came or
left in the
next few
minutes.
Mom paused and
thought for a
moment about
what she would
say. Now some
would laugh it
off and scold
her for being
silly. Some
might even
ignore what
was
said. But this
was a moment
of affirmation
in a young
child's life.
A time when
innocent trust
can be
nurtured so
that it will
bloom into
faith.
"Honey, you
are absolutely
right. Let's
run through
the rain. If
God let's us
get wet, well
maybe we just
needed
washing," Mom
said.
Then off they
ran. We all
stood
watching,
smiling and
laughing as
they darted
past the cars
and yes
through the
puddles. They
held their
shopping bags
over their
heads just in
case. They got
soaked. But
they were
followed by a
few believers
who screamed
and laughed
like children
all the way to
their cars.
Perhaps
inspired by
their faith
and trust.
I want to
believe that
some where
down the road
in life, Mom
will find
herself
reflecting
back on
moments they
spent
together,
captured like
pictures in
the scrapbook
of her
cherished
memories.
Maybe when she
watches
proudly as her
daughter
graduates. Or
as her Daddy
walks her down
the aisle on
her wedding
day. She will
laugh again.
Her heart will
beat a little
faster. Her
smile will
tell the world
they love each
other. But
only two
people will
share that
precious
moment when
they ran
through the
rain believing
that God would
get them
through.
Yes, I did. I
ran. I got
wet. I needed
washing.
Bob
Perks
"I believe
in you!"
Bob Perks (c)
2001
http://www.bobperks.com/welcome.htm
