From David Vaughn ...
In a small village some years ago the beloved and highly respected physician was retiring due to his age. He was in his mid-eighties; he had practiced for as long as his body would allow. For over fifty years he had delivered the babies of the village, he had tenderly treated the sick, carefully set broken bones, prescribed medicines, and had made thousands of home visits at all hours of the day and night.
On the last day of his medical practice he was given a surprise retirement party. The high school band and a large number of citizens met him at his office and escorted the doctor to the town square. There the rest of the village was gathered. The mayor presented the beloved doctor with a certificate of honor, and he told him that a custom-made, engraved barrel had been set near his front porch. On the next day the people
would come by and place a cup of cider in the barrel as a token of their love.
The elderly doctor sat in his rocking chair early the next day and watched as a huge line of persons came by and poured a cup into the barrel. At the end of the day the doctor took his cup and drew out what he knew would be sweet apple cider. What he tasted was not cider, but pure water! Each person had brought a cup of water rather than a cup of cider. Each person thought....my part is not important; it will not be missed....someone else will bring the good cider, and no one will ever know that I brought a cup of water.
When word got out the villagers were embarrassed and the doctor was heartsick and disappointed. He had
given so much of himself to the people, and they rewarded him with water and not a gift of gratitude.
There are many ways this story can be used, but I want us to think about those persons who have given so much to us. They have been there when we needed love, companionship, direction, advice, when we needed to vent, and when we wept. Have we, or are we, giving them our thanks and our love? Or, rather, have we remained quiet, and have not expressed how they have been a blessing to our lives?
To remain quiet; to not express our thankfulness is like pouring water rather than cider into the barrel. Someone else will express their love and gratitude; no one will miss my expressions. Today, write down the names of those who have blessed your life in special ways and reach out to them before another 24 hours passes.
Growing Up ... by Amy Hester
I'm told that I am very lucky to have such a great friend. Someone who is so opposite from me in almost every way imaginable, yet so common as well beyond what a lot of people can see when taking the first look.
I am writing this in the midst of an emptiness. You know, the kind of empty where you know this person so well and then all of a sudden they become such a familiar stranger? I look at this person now and when studying them, I begin to realize that I am viewing a becoming memory. Knowing this is so unbelievable to me as I am speechless at the thought of it. At the same time however, it is something that I know would happen, for it is simply a part of life.
I am a person who likes a different type of challenge and most of my friends haven't ever even come to know who I truly am to see that. This person has. It's been frustrating for me at times to realize that they really do understand me. For one thing I've had to learn to trust them, and for another I've had to overcome the fact that I can't build a wall around myself and expect them to not be pushed away. It's also been a hard thing to accept because that sense of pride that you develop when you know you can hide your identity and defeat someone as they try to get to know you, doesn't exist anymore within our friendship... They know who I am.
Every time I see them ( now in the present time) I truly cherish the laughter, the tears that have made me realize that guys can cry too without looking like idiots, and that even me, a girl who is shy to let her emotions out around others can cry too without looking like an idiot, memories of good times and bad, and everything in our relationship that has brought us together as best friends. I cherish them even more at this very moment for one reason, distance. I feel like a part of my identity is missing as we have both become distant, possibly pushing one another away as it seems. I've tried to find so many answers that have all been wrong about why, but you should know that I have just now figured it out. We are growing up. Even though he may be four years older than I, in college, he is still growing up, as am I. It is a hard thing to face for I have been so afraid that this person in whom is the greatest friend I could ever ask for, may grow up without me. As I sit here at this point in time, I am not so scared anymore for I know that I am growing up too and I don't see the bad anymore, but I see the good. What a blessing it is to have that person in your life who you would say is your best friend without a shadow of a doubt, growing as you grow. Even though times might be distant I know deep down that we are still there watching one another grow up into the people we are meant to be.
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By Delmarr Kidd
My brother says I write too many poems that bring him down.
He'd rather I were happy and I didn't wear a frown.
For the first time I stopped myself
I didn't try
to justify
my point of view at all
Didn't let him manipulate me
as he has since we were small.
I'm glad I did that
"little thing"
Some satisfaction it did bring
The PD, it don't mean a thing
compared to standing my ground.
