Today's Prompt: She liked to think that there was a reason for everything, but no matter how she twisted this around in her mind, she couldn’t come up with a reason why God would allow this.
"Why would they do that, Josh?" she asked her son, knowing full well that an 8 year old couldn't answer that question..
(Copyright© 2010, 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)
Without Reason
Sylvia had been a normal 11 year old until her family had moved from their small hometown in Ohio to Phoenix. Within weeks she had become sullen and withdrawn.
Sylvia had been a normal 11 year old until her family had moved from their small hometown in Ohio to Phoenix. Within weeks she had become sullen and withdrawn.
Alma, Sylvia’s mother tried to find out what was going on, but Sylvia wasn’t talking. She would just shrug her shoulders and closet herself in her room most of the time.
It was Sylvia’s brother who finally spilled the beans while his mother was making him an after school snack.
“Mom, the kids at school are picking on Sis,” he’d told her. “They call her fat little red-neck and hillbilly hick. Today, they poured milk all over her lunch. Everyone laughed.”
Alma immediately felt deep concern for her daughter and intense anger toward the kids that were bullying her.
"Why would they do that, Josh?" she asked her son, knowing full well that an 8 year old couldn't answer that question..
"No good reason," said Josh as he took a big bite of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich, "They're just mean."
Alma liked to think that there was a reason for everything, but no matter how she twisted this around in her mind, she couldn’t come up with a reason why God would allow her daughter to be bullied.
She tapped softly on Sylvia’s door before opening it.
“Honey, Josh told me what’s going on at school. I’m so sorry,” she said, taking her daughter in her arms. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s okay, Mom – it will pass and besides, if the kids hadn’t made fun of me, I wouldn’t have met Tammy,” said Sylvia.
Alma pulled back and looked Sylvia in the eyes.
“It’s never okay for someone to be a bully, Sylvia, but who’s Tammy?”
“She’s a real shy girl in my class. The kids used to pick on her until I moved here, now they pick on me. At least it gives her a break and together, we are learning to ignore them and just be friends with each other. I’ve been telling her about how much God loves us both.
Sylvia's eyes opened wide, "She never knew that, Mom."
Alma felt tears of pride sting her eyes. Sylvia had found the reason. She had taken a bad situation and allowed God to use her to help someone else who was going through the same difficulties.
She fully intended to speak with the principal the next day, but tonight she would let her daughter know just how proud her mother was of her over a triple hot fudge sundae.
(Copyright© 2010, 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)
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