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An every-so-often installment of ongoing sparkling thoughts.
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03/23/06 Dear TwinkleGrammers (and welcome NEWBIES!), While breakfasting at our usual breakfast-out restaurant on our usual breakfast-out day of the week with our usual breakfast-out friends, I spot our usual waitress sporting a new (a-HAH!) piece of jewelry. Keep in mind that I adore accessories. Adore them. In fact, I possess scary accessory-detecting radar. Or perhaps accessories subliminally penetrate my vulnerabilities then possess me. Hard to tell. "New bracelet!" I declare nodding my head toward The Find. One of our male friends expresses befuddlement that someone would notice such a teensy detail. I cut him some slack since, well, he is a male and he notices, well, other types of things about women. Our twenty-something waitress smiles, gives her wrist a wiggle in order to waggle the bracelet into its utmost viewing position. We oooo and aaaaa. "One of my students gave it to me for Valentine's Day," she says. She slips her order pad into her apron so she can finger the dangling heart-shaped charm, take another admiring look at it, hold it steady so we can see the details. "It was so sweet!" She beams. I mean she BEAMS. The gifter obviously gave her more than a bracelet with a charm; the clever second-grader clearly charmed *her* with his or her (can't remember if she stated a gender)"heart of thoughtfulness." "So the student teaching is going well then, huh?" we ask, pretty sure the bracelet is a positive indication. "Everything's a drama," she says with a smile, waving her arms, the heart-charm flying through the air. She recaps a few of the exchanges she's shared with her students after they've stopped her in the hall to query her about this or that, share one of their emotional horror stories. (She possesses beautiful, alluring doe-eyes. I'm sure any kid--and anyone at our table--would be inclined to trust her.) She second guesses her youthful attempts to guide them through their turmoil (real or imagined) that often seems to possess them, admitting she feels ill equipped. But it's clear she's still young enough to remember their trials, be sympathetic toward them and yet infuse them with hope. And then we eat. ** Although the above episode took place well over a week ago now, I can't stop thinking about it. It's such an odd thing to stick in my head. I recall the details, replay them, consider and reconsider the entire scenario, feel the warmth and tenderness wash over me again and again, wonder at its power over me--imagine *myself* stopping her in the hall for guidance. What am I to learn from this? I wonder, for at this age I understand sticky memories serve a purpose, deliver a message, present an opportunity for growth. I determine not to miss it, strive to interpret. Think. Think. Think. ** This is how TwinkleGrams are born: I either immediately just HAVE to share something the moment after it happens (like January's TwinkleGram which I wrote within five minutes after almost swallowing a BULLET!), or I can't stop thinking about something so I decide to write my way to The Discovery. And so in an attempt to solve this mystery, glean The Message, I wrote ALL of the above--two days ago. But "the gem," the payoff for the story, didn't come. I went back to it several times throughout the day, made a few edits to bring the incident into clearer focus for you, re-read my way back to the stopping point, waited for my fingers to deliver The Key. Since writing is more often than not a prayer form for me, that's the way it often happens--what I expected. But this time my fingers simply stopped typing. Again. ** Two days later. Two more days of replaying and thinking. However this time when I re-read--re-live--all of the above, The Light Dawns: The Incident is not to be figured out; it is simply to be received as the pure, bright gift it is: a gift multiplied by memory. I give thanks for the doe-eyed, tender-hearted, sensitive, charming way our God reveals His Mysterious Presence and Love for us through the most ordinary of circumstances. As it turns out, what my scary radar detected was not simply an "accessory"; it was the gateway to an unexpected grace. With a heart, a second-grader (and a child shall lead us) charmed a young woman who charmed me, who now shares the charm with you TwinkleGrammers, many who will pass this TwinkleGram along to your friends and relatives. It is my prayer that this caring, beaming-at-the-table moment filled with God's tender loving-kindness gives us new eyes through which to view the story of Christ and the loaves and fishes. Nobody has to figure anything out. We simply are to sit, receive, eat, give thanks and remember. "Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds." Matthew 14:19 And thousands were fed and assured of Your everyday Hand in our lives. Thank you, God. Amen. Peace and grins until next we chat, PS As usual, if you know anyone who you think might enjoy this story, please forward. PSS If you've received this email from a friend, you can get your own TwinkleGram subscription at www.twinklegram.com PSSS I wish you an early Happy Easter. IMPORTANT NOTE: Big George and I held FOUR drawings (I mean I AM mostly Irish and it is March, so what the heck!) this month, each winner to receive their choice of the Dearest Dorothy books. I sent a congratulatory email to each of the winners but to date have not heard back from them so I don't know where to send the books. I'll send a follow-up email, but if I don't hear back, we'll be drawing again. I type "TWINKLEGRAM drawing winner" in the subject line, so if you see it, OPEN IT! Charlene Ann Baumbich Web site: http://www.welcometopartonville.com TwinkleGram Archives 6/2/04 | 8/20/04 | 10/08/04 | 10/25/04 | 12/14/04 | 1/19/05 | 3/4/05 | 4/21/05 | 6/13/05 Don't forget to check in every once in a while to see what’s on Charlene’s mind. From the profound to the pathetic, she's happy to have her own non-edited corner in which to ramble on about whatever she'd like whenever the mood strikes her - which might be sooner or later! Or, subscribe to the TwinkleGram and have it delivered fresh to your email - just click the "Subscribe to the TwinkleGram" link at the top of this page. ©Notice: Materials on this page are © by Charlene Baumbich 2003-2005 |
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