Your World of Wonder

I parked my car and slowly got out, looking at the building that has become my happiness. I walk up to the set of closed doors. I punch in the numbers 3 - 4 - 6- *  The doors open and I walk through them into a beautiful new world to me.

There were wheelchairs in my new world. There were crippled little hands resting lightly on a blanket covered lap. There were walkers, little stuffed animals, slippers, cute little pillows of different colors and hearing aids. There is a little lady setting in her wheelchair, a little rubber doll all covered in a blanket, held secure to her chest. There is oxygen tanks, and make believe people and make believe little dogs There are little people setting here and there just waiting for someone to come to them and push them into the weekly Bible study. Sunshine streamed in through the big windows, falling on little white heads and beautiful faces, wrinkled with time.

As I stood there, just inside that set of doors, my heart filled all up with love. My busy world was just outside those doors, but I wanted, I needed to come into your world, for just a little while. My tired heart and mind had to come visit your yesteryear...just for a little while. So I sat down next to you, placed my hand gently on your soft little one, and I asked "Would you tell me how it use to be? Take my back to yesteryear, Back to the old country houses and the long country lanes. Take me back just for a little while."

As your words fell softly on my ears, I saw in my minds eye a handsome young man walking down the streets of a little country town. His arm was wrapped through a beautiful young ladies. They were talking quietly as they entered into the downtown ice cream parlor. They went to a little white table in the corner and he pulled out the chair and she sat down. They ordered one ice cream float and two straws. They sat there, the float in the middle of the table, She fingertips brushed the straw and his hand held hers while they shared that single float.

 I heard your voice as you stood just outside the old white farmhouse, your hands around your mouth, as you hollered "Supper Time" The sun was sinking in the western skies. Four or five little ones would come running from all directions, faces dirty and little hands covered with mud. I saw in my minds eye, you as a young mother, bent over a tiny bed to tuck the homemade quilt snug around your young child, or you set quietly as you listen to their prayers.

My eyes roamed that sunny room and over in the corner I saw a dear old man setting there in his wheelchair. His silver head was bend and his back had a bow. In my minds eye, I saw a young and strong daddy bent over a plow pulled by one or two horses, He walked slowly behind, on the black plowed ground, Around and around they went under the hot summer sun.

I saw this daddy all washed up. He sets at the big kitchen table in his bib overalls and smiles at those little faces that are his. He takes hold of your hand as he bows his head to give thanks. After the dishes are done, he sets down on a old wooden chair in front of the weathered dark piano, his fiddle resting on one shoulder, as he pulled back the bow and sweet melody flowed through the room, around the kitchen table, and into the ears of three little girls, faces aglow. You rock slowly back and forth in the old worn rocking chair, a worn Bible lay open across your lap.

I could smell the scent  of fresh baked bread as the loaves sat there on the table, covered with a clean red and white checkered dish towel. I could smell the purple bouquet of lilacs setting there in a glass canning jar of fresh water. I could smell the fresh summer breeze as it made its way through the open windows, moving the white lace curtains gently. I could smell the smoke from the old black wood stove setting over there in the corner of the living room.

I could hear the constant hum of the fan as it cooled little children, laying in the floor, for a summer time nap. I could hear the sounds of happy little voices as they pushed each other in the tire swing, hanging there in the big cottonwood tree down by the creek. I could hear the bob white call from the pasture grasses. I could hear the squeak of the water pump handle as you get a bucket of cold water from the cistern.

I could see you as a young mother out in the garden. You are bent over the tiny little green beans, beets, corn, and tomatoes, as you hoed the weeds with a worn hoe, I could see a old, rusty, bent mailbox, setting at the end of a long dirt lane, and see sheets, dresses, and towels flopping in the cloths line. I could see little bare foot boys and girls playing in the creek, their jeans rolled up and hole in the knees. On their heads was a dirty straw hat.

I visited a little one room school house setting on the corner. Inside were little wooden desks, some held one student, some held two. A old pop bellied wood stove stood in the middle of the room. The teachers desk was in front and behind her was a big blackboard. In the back of that one room was a little room. Lunch boxes were lined up on the board seat. In the winter, coats and scarves and caps hung every witch way.

Out side boys and girls would play jump rope, or "Andy I Over"over the little wood shed out back. Or  "Red Rover Send Someone Right Over" as the wild flowers grow among the grass. In the winter the snow drifts lay deep and white over the playground. You could see "Mother Goose" trails or where someone had made a pile of snowballs. Little footprints were all over in that white snow.

There was a tall silver swing set with two or three swings hanging there waiting. Over there is the teeter totter, and back behind is the old outhouse. A well worn path lead to it.

I saw the dark black cloud racing across the earth on the wings of the wind turning your world black. I saw as dirt sifted in through the cracks under the doors and around the windows. I saw blankets hanging from nails over the doors and towels rolled up tight laying on the window sills. I saw your sad tired face as you look into your husbands eyes, wondering how you will feed your little ones.

So I set there, in that sunshine, with my little sweet people of yesteryear. I set there for a good two hours. I listen and I listen, my heart resting. My busy world gone....just for a little while.  I smile. My heart reaches out to hug every last one of these crippled, silver haired sweethearts.

I notice some are sleeping. Others are just setting there looking blankly out into my world. So I give that little soft crippled hand and gentle squeeze. I quietly get up out of my chair and go put my coat on. I take the car keys out of my pocket and walk quietly to those doors once again. I punch in numbers 3-4-6-*.

As the door clicks...I pull it open. I turn around and look one last time at those white little heads, glistening there in that sunshine streaming through the big window. I whisper softly, gently, I whisper "Thank you for welcoming me into your little world of wonder. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for needing me, because I need you!"

I slowly close the door and walk back into my world. Back to my car, Back to my husband, Back to my life on the farm. I know that I will be back. I will walk into their world many times. My heart is in love.