Red Marbles

[tourbi]

I put this in Spirituality because to me, this is what living from Spirit is all about.  I hope this touches you as deeply as it touched me.

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 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 me et 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 appreciate 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.

[500 SMILES]

All lessons sound good on paper.  Very difficult to live.

[tourbi]

It's just a choice and living by the intention of that choice.

[Pravin Kumar]

Dear Torbi,

I was moved by that narration. I have one of my own. My Father, who is no more, loved children. When we got a T.V. Set in our house (we were the first to have T.V. amongst 24 apartments in our building) he would tell my sons to collect all the children from the Building and they would watch the Cricket Match or old movies on the T.V. While the children were there they had tea at our house and also light breakfast. My father had the habit of sharing with everyone. He would first give others and then take.

Subsequently later on again we were the first to have VCR for seeing movies through Recorded Cassetes on T.V. Again all the children were invited to see entertaining movies. My father had the habit of joking and he was quite jolly and humorous. Children loved him but could not express their gratitude at that time. But when my Father expired just before Ganpathi Festival (Lord Ganpathi, son of Lord Shiva and Parvati), his photograph was specially framed and kept in the Ganesh (Ganpathi) Mandal i.e. the Stage where the idol of Lord Ganesh was kept and the boys would put garland around this Photograph. In fact every year there were several entertainment programmes like Quiz, Athletics, Dancing, Singing Competition, Fancy Dress Competition  but that year children observed it with silence and prayers to the departed soul of my Father. He was also the Father of all those Childrens.

Pravin Kumar

[tourbi]

Oh Thank you so much for sharing.  What a loving sharing.  I wish I had a garland to add to his memory.
Many Blessings to you and your loving Father.

[tarni]

Lovely stories, if I can share mine, ---in a store just where I live , an elderly man was paying his bill, but he was $1.40 short, so he asked for an item to be taken off, well, I offered it to him, & he thanked me, he lived just across from the shops, & I had seen him several times, on my walks, but never spoken , just to nod & say hello.

Well, he wanted to give me something which wouldn't cost anything, even when I declined, but he insisted, went inside, & came out & cut some flowers from his garden , then he gave me several lemons.

Well, i was going to purchase some lemons  in the shop but didn't want to pay the price, so for a mere  $1.40 , I've now found a lovely friend to chat to.

[Rohiniranjan]

[quote="tarni"]Lovely stories, if I can share mine, ---in a store just where I live , an elderly man was paying his bill, but he was $1.40 short, so he asked for an item to be taken off, well, I offered it to him, & he thanked me, he lived just across from the shops, & I had seen him several times, on my walks, but never spoken , just to nod & say hello.

Well, he wanted to give me something which wouldn't cost anything, even when I declined, but he insisted, went inside, & came out & cut some flowers from his garden , then he gave me several lemons.

Well, i was going to purchase some lemons  in the shop but didn't want to pay the price, so for a mere  $1.40 , I've now found a lovely friend to chat to.[/quote]

Dear Tarni,

If I may interject ...!

Yes the Lemons were important and something you desired for and you received through your act of Grace ...

But don't forget the flowers too! I hope you remembered to smell them when they were freshly offered/gifted to you?

If you did, their scent must still haunt you ...


Love, Light, Levity ...

[karlenespellman]

Thanks tourbi for putting this in.
Pravin, now I understand you a little more.
Tarni, what a great way to make a friend.

Lots of love to all
Karlene