A Blessing in Living

Recently, a classmate from high school passed away. He lived his life as a blessing to those around him. In high school, he was a leader, a fantastic athlete, and scholastically focused. He was a part of the popular crowd, but interacted with everyone in a pleasant and glib manner, nevertheless. He went out of his way to make people comfortable at class reunions, and thought of other activities that might interest everyone. He wasn't a close friend to me, and yet he was still part of my life. How does one pull that off anyway? How does one's influence extend outside of the intimate friendship circle with such an easy air? The answer is in the individual makeup of his character. He cared about others, and his life was a living response of his beliefs. God, thank you for the blessing of this man.

Latest Novel Released - "The Turquoise Cowgirl"

The following is an excerpt from the newly released novel - "The Turquoise Cowgirl: In the Shadows of the Palms, A Love Story":

 Jim and Bill worked in the barn feeding the cattle and milking the Guernsey cows. They always played the radio during milking because the drone of music and voices calmed the animals, much as if they ran a fan. The radio erupted with a high-pitched beep, which alarmed Carmen the cow. She kicked Bill with her hind leg, and he jumped up and away from her.

“This is a special report. Lilia Faith Christian is reported missing while on vacation with her family,” said the reporter in a projected and urgent voice. “Anyone who has seen her or has knowledge of her whereabouts, please notify the police.” Goose bumps arose on Bill’s arms with dread.

Bill bellowed across the barn, “Jim! The special report said that Lilia is missing!”

The hair stood up on the back of Jim’s neck. This was his worst fear of all. When Jim was the Chief of Security, they had aborted all the other near kidnapping attempts. They frantically worked at finishing their chores. Sweat poured off Jim’s brow as he tore through his routine. Bill’s hands shook with the effort to do the chores faster. A few minutes later, Jim and Bill heard tires screech in the gravel driveway. Gil and Ann, friends of the Christian family, leaped out of the truck and tore into the barn.

Gil squalled at Jim and Bill, “Go find her! We’ll take over from here!”

Jim and Bill glanced at each other briefly with misgiving, and knew what their mission was. They dropped the pails and the pitchfork, and sprinted out of the barn to Jim’s pickup truck. They both jumped in, and Jim’s truck tires ripped up the gravel in the driveway as he drove helter-skelter towards the highway.

“I just learned that Lilia still loves me,” said Jim as he complained bitterly, “and now I might have lost her forever.”

Bill called Cindy on the way to the airport, “Little red,” he began.

“Go, Bill! Go find her!” Cindy yelled with passion.

“Right!” Bill said and hung up.

He and Jim roared to the airport without suitcases or planning. They only had time to react. They bought tickets and charged full speed to the end of the terminal for the next departing airplane. They lined up with the last of the travelers.

“Oh, dear God, help us to get there in time,” Jim whispered in prayer under his breath.

Bill said adamantly to Jim, “We have to think like the kidnappers, Jim.”

“I know,” said Jim with weighty angst. “It depends on what their purpose for taking her is. Is it for money or something else?”

“It could be for many reasons. Think Jim. Lilia is on crutches and has a giant heavy cast. What are the chances of the kidnappers escaping the resort without anyone noticing, especially with her celebrity?” Bill asked with focused calculation. He stared at Jim pointedly.

“Nada,” Jim replied with stern determination. “She’s probably still there somewhere.”

“That is exactly what I was thinking,” Bill countered with intense reflection. “Do you remember how Lilia loved the far end of the adult pool by the water slide? She visited the creepy damp bathrooms underneath the staircase. She said it was like entering a cave. All the walls were lava rock.”

“I remember. They were cold, and dank, and dark, and almost no one knew that they were down there. Lilia felt spooked about using them. They were right across from a supply room underneath the staircase to the viewing deck where the tourists watch the manta rays feed at night,” said Jim with a pounding heart of apprehension.

“I wonder how many underground and hidden closets exist, and if the security people searched inside of each one,” Bill pondered with misgiving.

“There’s also that lava path on the cliff overlooking the ocean. It’s below a person’s vision level. They could have used that route. It’s a dead end at the lava field to the left, and it wraps around the grounds of the hotel to the right.” Jim reminded him and felt a fierce unwavering need to find her.

The First Boyfriend

The woman reminisced about her first boyfriend. She met him at 4-H camp when she was but fourteen years old, two years before she was allowed to date. Their relationship began and ended before her sixteenth birthday due to her youth and the overzealous ways of her father. However, in remembering him, the time disappeared, and the memory was as clear as the first ice on the lake in winter.

He was the kind of man who had a crooked smile, a ready laugh, and a joyful nature so infectious that it lit up all those around him. He was a little less than average in stature, but he had a reasonable sense of his own worth, which caused the subject never to come up. He had a quiet strength, a sincere character, and a trustworthiness that caused the woman to believe that he would make something out of his life.

The woman lost touch with him over the years, only to learn a little about him decades later. His sense of humor was as buoyant as in his youth, with a sharpened wit tempered by age. He had experienced success in the military far beyond what others imagined. It pleased the woman immensely to discover the culmination that the young man's identity promised, and she smiled with pleasure at having seen a glimpse from the past into the future.

Remembering a Young Love

I remember clearly the young men to whom I was drawn in my youth. Like them, I do not seek the old relationship when I think about them, for most of us are comfortable and settled in our mature lives. However, I do remember the glimmer of something special that glowed about that person in their youth. My curiosity wonders how the distinctive characteristic developed over the years and how it is now manifested today. A reunion does not provide the answers to that question because of the posing for expectations in a group of many people. It is human curiosity to know such things, and discover the unexpected qualities that emerged. I think that we all hope that the presence of the extraordinary quality coexists with the experienced personality. Maybe this is one of the reasons that we seek out old beaus, friends, and acquaintances, and attempt to discover where the person is on the road of life.

Hula Sisters

This is an excerpt from The Turquoise Cowgirl, In the Shadows of the Palms, A Love Story, which will be released soon:

“The song that we’re going to learn the hula for is called ‘Little Brown Gal,’ and who do you think that is?” Twenty-year-old Lilia asked with a smile of delight at her three-and-a-half-year-old-sister.

“Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!” screeched Ginger with gaiety.

“That is right, my little muffin,” said Lilia with a smile in her mom’s direction.

“Do you mind if I stay and watch?” Francine asked and raised her eyebrows expectantly. She didn’t want to miss any of the fun of seeing her two girls learning to do the hula together.

“No, Mom, I certainly don’t mind.” Lilia replied to her mom graciously, and smiled. “First let’s assume a hula posture. Push your shoulders back, and push your hips slightly backward too.” Lilia demonstrated to Ginger, and she followed Lilia’s example.

Francine laughed at the baby butt sticking out in the back, and covered her mouth with her hand so as not to interrupt the lesson.

“Oh this is too rich for words,” Francine said under her breath with unmitigated humor.

“Next, stick your feet out to the sides at about a forty-five degree angle,” Lilia assumed the stance, and Ginger followed suit. “Now, bend your knees until you can’t bend them any further. That’s good. Bend your arms, and bring your hands to your chest with palms down.”

Ginger bent her knees and her arms, and now she looked like one of the native male dancers. Francine roared with suppressed laughter, and tears ran from her eyes.

She exclaimed, “Oh my!” The sight of the little girl assuming the hula stance looked hilarious to her.

“Sway your hips from side to side like this,” said Lilia as she showed her what she meant. Ginger swayed her childish hips slowly and evenly to each side.

“Am I doing it right?” Ginger asked with interest.

“You’re doing great, little sweet pea,” said Lilia as she smiled warmly at the miniature Ginger. “The next thing we’re going to learn is the Kaholo. Keep your hula posture, and sway your hips as you take two steps sideways to the right. Stick your toes out first, and lead with them. Watch me, sweetie, and then we’ll do it together.”

Ginger observed her intently, and bobbed her head up and down to indicate that she understood, and couldn’t wait to get started.

“Okay, let’s do it together,” said Lilia sweetly.

“Okay, sister,” gurgled Ginger with pleasure. She did exactly as Lilia, which was no surprise, because God had made her as smart as Lilia.

“Now, do the same thing to the left,” instructed Lilia as they did it slowly together. Lilia cried, “That was fantastic Ginger!” She hugged the miniature hula dancer with fervor. “Let’s learn the Ami next.”

Ginger wiggled her head from side to side with excitement, and laughed with merriment, “Hurry up, sister!”

“Take the hula stance,” said Lilia as she giggled under her breath at Ginger. Lilia watched to be certain that Ginger did it properly because it was rather an awkward position even for a grownup. “Rotate your hips to the front to the left side, to the back, and to the right side. You’re making a circle with your hips.” Lilia rotated her hips sensually and gracefully in a circle, and Ginger copied her with slightly less motion. “Exaggerate the movement, and try to make the hips move more.” Ginger performed the Ami four times, and now understood it completely.

“Mom, I’m having so much fun!” Ginger squealed unexpectedly.

“I see that you are, darling,” said Francine. Her heart filled to overflowing with love for her two daughters. She loved to see them interact with each other because they loved each other so much.

Hummingbird Nest

Back at the ranch again, Jim and Lilia relaxed up on the roof of the lean-to. “Look, Jim,” Lilia said quietly and pointed at a mother hummingbird sitting in a carefully constructed nest on a low-lying branch of a queen palm tree. They gazed at the conical miracle. “It looks like green plastic, but I think she constructed it from spume and greenery collected from the area,” Lilia whispered to Jim in awe of one of God’s creations.

Jim peered into Lilia’s amazing turquoise eyes, and said, “Lilia, you’re a hummingbird, too. Your life hums at the speed of light just like the hummingbird’s does.”

“What kind of bird or animal are you like, Jim?” Lilia asked with curiosity. She tilted her head at him and wondered if he’d play along with her.

He chuckled and replied, “I’m probably a tall and proud elk, but to keep up with you, I’m forced to be a coyote.” They laughed easily together.

Over a period of eighteen days, Lilia and Jim watched the nest. She pointed out every change to Jim. The two little eggs hatched and became two tiny little beaks, which stuck straight up from the bottom of the conical home. The beaks emerged into heads, and then the bodies became visible. One little hummingbird tried out its speedy wings, and then poked at the back of the other hummingbird with its beak to tell it,” Move over.” Eventually, the only way that the two little birds could fit in the nest was similar to shoes in a shoebox: head to tail and tail to head.

Jim and Lilia knew that it wouldn’t be long before the little birds took flight. The next morning they climbed up the ladder to the top of the lean-to, and looked down to view that the birds were gone. Star jasmine grew up the side of the barn and lean-to. Lilia and Jim lay on their stomachs and observed as the mother hummingbird and the two little hummers feasted on the nectar. Jim felt sad that the birds had grown too big for the nest, but he took solace in the perfection that the miracle of God displayed in their growth. He realized that it was no different with Lilia. God displayed her growth for the world to see, too.