Legacy Matters
Because I'm constantly marvelling at the scope and breadth and depth of the human experience, from time to time, I plan to bring you a collection of stories to show you what I mean. Here is the first collection.
If you have any good stories, pass them along to me.
Her Jewish parents were forced to flee the Nazis in war-time Greece. The little baby Reina Gilberta was protected first by a family friend and later by nuns at the Convent of St Joseph together with Mama Lina who baptised her to get the proper papers the Nazis required. While war waged throughout Europe, Reina had a happy, secure and loving childhood. After the war, she reunited with her real parents thanks to one courageous nun and after 40 years reunited with Lina's family.
...with your words, your letter, your voice on the telephone, my mother came to life again, my little sister, she loved you so much and you loved her too...She loved you so much she said "no" to my father and me when we wanted to keep you. Little Gilberta, you said your first words in our house. Instinctively you said "mama," to the woman who was holding you in her lap. And she, lovingly, said "no, I'm only mamma-Lina. Your real mother will come back." The whole story
After your 17 year old mother has aborted you, you survive but are not expected to live. After being placed with a foster family, you learn how to walk. Today, you train for marathons and have become a song-wrier and performer. Everyone wants to hear Gianna Jessen's story. Caution, this is a pro-life story
My biological parents made some really poor choices," she said. "I forgive them for what they did (but) I live every day with the result of the 'choice' that my biological mother made 27 years ago. So it's ridiculous to think our choices on a moment-by-moment basis only affect us. They always affect someone else, for good or ill."
Hanneke A 19 year old nurse in Holland is drawn to a 40 year woman in a coma who had no living relatives. Night after night, Hanneka talked to the woman in a coma and told her all about her parents who had died in a car crash when she was quite young. There's an extraordinary twist in the story of the Voice in the Night.
What makes him do it? Listen to what Don Vermilyea, a 54 year old man from West Virginia, has to say after walking 10 years and 13,000 miles
People think this is Donnie's Big Adventure, but it isn't. It isn't that at all. This is real. I hurt 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I hurt all night and all day.
Want to go on a ten year walk all by yourself? Wanna talk about scary? Try doing this."
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't dream of quitting,
We need to slow down and stop taking care of each other more,
Not just as Christians but just as human beings."
The last is a "passalong" - which according to Beliefnet is one of those emails that have been forwarded so often, no one knows their origin or veracity It's called The Miracle of the Deer and how they are drawn to the purest, most loving heart.
Posted by Jill Fallon at January 19, 2005 9:21 PM | Permalink