Ideas For Living Newsletter

 

LIfe In The Middle

We Can Make A Difference In Someone Else's Life

In December we often find ourselves wishing the entire Winter could be like this one month. We enjoy the ringing of bells, the carols, and the holiday spirit that is shared with one another. If we have to drive to work in snow and icy rain, then at least let the Christmas carols keep our spirits bright as we drive.

There are many stories I could tell about the spirit of  Christmas, but one of my favorite ones was told to me by my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Vansel. After lunch and recess, she would make all of us put our heads down on our desks, and she would read to us a story.

In this story a little girl, who was much loved by everyone around her, got sick. The doctors said if she could only survive until Spring she would surely recover. The Father, loving his daughter, asked that anyone who had a solution to the dilemma, should come to their home. Many came, but no solution was found. It was late Fall and the little girl was quickly fading.

Finally an old man arrived at the parents’ home. “I think I have a solution.” He was taken to the girls room where he told her that surely she could find the strength to wait to die until the little cherry tree outside her window lost all its leaves. There were only a few leaves left on the tree, and the girl said, yes she could wait for death until the last leaf fell from the tree.

Days passed into weeks, as the little girl watched  the leaves as they fell from the tree. Finally there was only one leaf left on the tree, and the old man would remind her that she had promised to stay until the last leaf fell from the tree.

Each day the parents would enter the little girls room, wondering if the tree still held the one lonely leaf. Each day the little girl would open her eyes, and see the little leaf clinging to the tree. “I shall not die until that one little leaf falls.” The parents would sigh in relief.

This went on week after week, and still the little leaf clung to the branch of the cherry tree. Each morning the ritual was repeated. Finally the little girl asked what was taking the little leaf so long to fall from the tree. The old man would shrug his shoulders, and remind the little girl of her promise.

At last the little girl awoke and to her surprise, a blossom, pink and fragrant was on the branch. She asked how this could be, and the old man told her that he knew she would not leave until the last leaf fell from the tree. The leaf had fallen to the ground, months earlier. At that time he had climbed a ladder while she slept, and painted on her window the scene she saw through it. This included the tree and the one leaf on it. The little girl had stayed, thinking she would not leave until the little leaf fell. Each day the little girl got stronger. When the blossoms appeared on the tree, the old man opened the girl’s window and she saw that Spring had arrived.

The little girl in the story, slowly recovered from her illness, and the family and friends were forever in the gratitude of the old man.

This little story is a simple one. It tells us that to overcome some obstacles, we must  believe in our ability to conquer our problem. So it is in our own lives. There are many in the world around us who are facing staggering problems. Unemployment, hunger, loneliness, and homelessness are only a few of the things people must face. It is always easier to overcome events when we believe. The little girl believed she would not die until the little leaf fell from the tree. The old man provided a way for the little girl to postpone death, and with Spring came recovery.

When we hear the Christmas carols, and smell the wreaths in the shops, may we all remember that maybe we can be that little old man. Maybe when we give, we will provide a way for someone to have the stamina to rise above and beyond what they expected of themselves. Maybe we can rise a little higher with our willingness to reach out to someone else.

We can make a difference in someone else’s life by the things we do. There are few that have never needed the help of someone, or something. May your Christmas be wonderful, and may we all remember the roll that the one little leaf on a tree played , and may we become the little leaf in someone else’s  life. Until next year...ColleenWe Can Make A Difference In Someone Else’s Life  

In December we often find ourselves wishing the entire Winter could be like this one month. We enjoy the ringing of bells, the carols, and the holiday spirit that is shared with one another. If we have to drive to work in snow and icy rain, then at least let the Christmas carols keep our spirits bright as we drive.

There are many stories I could tell about the spirit of  Christmas, but one of my favorite ones was told to me by my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Vansel. After lunch and recess, she would make all of us put our heads down on our desks, and she would read to us a story.

In this story a little girl, who was much loved by everyone around her, got sick. The doctors said if she could only survive until Spring she would surely recover. The Father, loving his daughter, asked that anyone who had a solution to the dilemma, should come to their home. Many came, but no solution was found. It was late Fall and the little girl was quickly fading.

Finally an old man arrived at the parents’ home. “I think I have a solution.” He was taken to the girls room where he told her that surely she could find the strength to wait to die until the little cherry tree outside her window lost all its leaves. There were only a few leaves left on the tree, and the girl said, yes she could wait for death until the last leaf fell from the tree.

Days passed into weeks, as the little girl watched  the leaves as they fell from the tree. Finally there was only one leaf left on the tree, and the old man would remind her that she had promised to stay until the last leaf fell from the tree.

Each day the parents would enter the little girls room, wondering if the tree still held the one lonely leaf. Each day the little girl would open her eyes, and see the little leaf clinging to the tree. “I shall not die until that one little leaf falls.” The parents would sigh in relief.

This went on week after week, and still the little leaf clung to the branch of the cherry tree. Each morning the ritual was repeated. Finally the little girl asked what was taking the little leaf so long to fall from the tree. The old man would shrug his shoulders, and remind the little girl of her promise.

At last the little girl awoke and to her surprise, a blossom, pink and fragrant was on the branch. She asked how this could be, and the old man told her that he knew she would not leave until the last leaf fell from the tree. The leaf had fallen to the ground, months earlier. At that time he had climbed a ladder while she slept, and painted on her window the scene she saw through it. This included the tree and the one leaf on it. The little girl had stayed, thinking she would not leave until the little leaf fell. Each day the little girl got stronger. When the blossoms appeared on the tree, the old man opened the girl’s window and she saw that Spring had arrived.

The little girl in the story, slowly recovered from her illness, and the family and friends were forever in the gratitude of the old man.

This little story is a simple one. It tells us that to overcome some obstacles, we must  believe in our ability to conquer our problem. So it is in our own lives. There are many in the world around us who are facing staggering problems. Unemployment, hunger, loneliness, and homelessness are only a few of the things people must face. It is always easier to overcome events when we believe. The little girl believed she would not die until the little leaf fell from the tree. The old man provided a way for the little girl to postpone death, and with Spring came recovery.

When we hear the Christmas carols, and smell the wreaths in the shops, may we all remember that maybe we can be that little old man. Maybe when we give, we will provide a way for someone to have the stamina to rise above and beyond what they expected of themselves. Maybe we can rise a little higher with our willingness to reach out to someone else.

We can make a difference in someone else’s life by the things we do. There are few that have never needed the help of someone, or something. May your Christmas be wonderful, and may we all remember the roll that the one little leaf on a tree played , and may we become the little leaf in someone else’s  life. Until next year...Colleen

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Copyright  2008     Leland Pulley