For the_bigshow
A. "In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights. With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit. In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness." - Carl Sagan
The world was full of ills. Peninnah was reminded of it day in and day out. Some days when those who came in got too much she would cry when the church closed up for the night. They were not her tears per say but those of her prayers. Some pains left no room for words.
It was after the nights of tears that the children were so welcomed. It wasn’t that they were ever unwelcome but the untouched innocence helped cleanse away the lingering sadness. Today was not a time for stories but crafts. They made candles together. Perhaps it was a difficult project for young children but she had learned quickly how much they appreciated a challenge. The three children who had come on the dreary day seemed all too anxious to be elsewhere despite her best efforts. Eventually she sat with them beside the half finished project.
“Why do we have to make stupid candles?” The little boy, Andrew, was always on the rebellious side so this was nothing new.
“Candles are light.” Peninnah answered simply when the other two children stopped to listen.
“Light is stupid.”
Peninnah sighed and shook her head. “Light is many things.”
“Nu-huh.” Andrew crossed his arms and shook his head.
“Perhaps I can show you.” Peninnah turned out the lights without warning them. She heard squeals and something that might have been a sob from the dark. It broke her heart but there was a lesson here. After a moment in the dark she lit a candle and came to the table. The sobbing and other noise had stopped.
“Light is comfort and peace. It keeps us safe and guides us.” Peninnah smiled setting the holder on the table.
“Is light God?” Jess was younger than the boys but no less intelligent.
“God is one of the many lights in our lives. He is the one that made all the other lights.” Peninnah watched them thoughtfully from where she sat across the table.
“I think my mom is a light.” Nicolas said it quietly.
“I think she is too up in heaven with God but she still shines on you.” Peninnah brushed his ruffled hair out of his eyes. She knew the boy’s mother had died only a few months earlier. He was so strong.
“Do you have any lights?” Andrew was finally looking less irate.
“I have God.” Peninnah offered.
“What about your family?” Jess asked with big-eyed curiosity.
“I don’t have any family.” She wanted to be as honest with them as she could be.
“What happened to them?” The questions were starting this time from Nicolas.
“The man I thought of as a father died a long time ago.” Peninnah sighed thinking of Father Christofer.
“Is he a light too like Nicolas’ mom?” Andrew was fully back in the conversation.
“I’m sure he is. He always took care of me.” He was the closest she had to a father. “I’m making my candle to remember him. That’s why I made it red because it was his favorite color.”
The children seemed a bit more anxious not.
“Can mine be my mom?”
“Of course Nicolas.” Peninnah stood back up and turned on the lights. Already the children were back to the project with more enthusiasm than when they had started.
She was sad to see them leave when the project was done. Still there was a feeling of accomplishment when she heard Andrew tell his mother she was his light. The conversation went on as they walked from the churchyard. It wasn’t the all influencing things that mattered most. Sometimes a simple lesson could change someone forever. She hoped he would remember that all his life. There would always be lights for others. Peninnah had none of her own but she knew why. She was the light for others and she would continue to be until she returned to God.
The world was full of ills. Peninnah was reminded of it day in and day out. Some days when those who came in got too much she would cry when the church closed up for the night. They were not her tears per say but those of her prayers. Some pains left no room for words.
It was after the nights of tears that the children were so welcomed. It wasn’t that they were ever unwelcome but the untouched innocence helped cleanse away the lingering sadness. Today was not a time for stories but crafts. They made candles together. Perhaps it was a difficult project for young children but she had learned quickly how much they appreciated a challenge. The three children who had come on the dreary day seemed all too anxious to be elsewhere despite her best efforts. Eventually she sat with them beside the half finished project.
“Why do we have to make stupid candles?” The little boy, Andrew, was always on the rebellious side so this was nothing new.
“Candles are light.” Peninnah answered simply when the other two children stopped to listen.
“Light is stupid.”
Peninnah sighed and shook her head. “Light is many things.”
“Nu-huh.” Andrew crossed his arms and shook his head.
“Perhaps I can show you.” Peninnah turned out the lights without warning them. She heard squeals and something that might have been a sob from the dark. It broke her heart but there was a lesson here. After a moment in the dark she lit a candle and came to the table. The sobbing and other noise had stopped.
“Light is comfort and peace. It keeps us safe and guides us.” Peninnah smiled setting the holder on the table.
“Is light God?” Jess was younger than the boys but no less intelligent.
“God is one of the many lights in our lives. He is the one that made all the other lights.” Peninnah watched them thoughtfully from where she sat across the table.
“I think my mom is a light.” Nicolas said it quietly.
“I think she is too up in heaven with God but she still shines on you.” Peninnah brushed his ruffled hair out of his eyes. She knew the boy’s mother had died only a few months earlier. He was so strong.
“Do you have any lights?” Andrew was finally looking less irate.
“I have God.” Peninnah offered.
“What about your family?” Jess asked with big-eyed curiosity.
“I don’t have any family.” She wanted to be as honest with them as she could be.
“What happened to them?” The questions were starting this time from Nicolas.
“The man I thought of as a father died a long time ago.” Peninnah sighed thinking of Father Christofer.
“Is he a light too like Nicolas’ mom?” Andrew was fully back in the conversation.
“I’m sure he is. He always took care of me.” He was the closest she had to a father. “I’m making my candle to remember him. That’s why I made it red because it was his favorite color.”
The children seemed a bit more anxious not.
“Can mine be my mom?”
“Of course Nicolas.” Peninnah stood back up and turned on the lights. Already the children were back to the project with more enthusiasm than when they had started.
She was sad to see them leave when the project was done. Still there was a feeling of accomplishment when she heard Andrew tell his mother she was his light. The conversation went on as they walked from the churchyard. It wasn’t the all influencing things that mattered most. Sometimes a simple lesson could change someone forever. She hoped he would remember that all his life. There would always be lights for others. Peninnah had none of her own but she knew why. She was the light for others and she would continue to be until she returned to God.