WALKING THE EXTRA MILE   

           From my book of short stories: 'A CIRCLE OF SWIFT SONGS; A Circlet of Inner Life Stories.'                   

[Though I begin my story in the traditional way: "Once there was a man..." this actually is a true story:]  

Once there was a man who owned a furniture factory; and because of the hard times he was going through---with his business facing bankruptcy---he felt he was a total failure; that he had 'hit bottom,' reached 'bedrock,' and was of no use to anyone. 

   One night, this man was working late in his upstairs office at the factory. All his employees had gone home and he was alone. Though he was very engrossed in his paperwork, and distracted, agonizing in his heart because his business was failing so badly, he slowly became aware of a noise. He ignored it and carried on with his work. It was only a familiar noise. A sound he heard every day. But then he heard it again. And this time he realized the hour. Something was wrong. He got up and went to the window. Down below he saw a truck; and two men, unknown to him, opening the big, tall, double gates of his factory yard. Then they got back into their truck and drove it into his yard. There they got out again and began loading his timber, packaged in large heavy bundles, into their truck. 

   The factory owner was stunned at what he saw; but even more so, at himself; for his first, and most persistent thought was: what would God want him to do? The idea was completely new to him, and he was astonished. But he stood quietly beside the window, simply watching; giving up; and marvelling in his heart that he could do so. For a wonderful peace had come to him, along with an inexplicable sense of great love. He stood there amazed. It was as though within him a door had been opened and he could now, hear, and feel. After a few minutes, he went down into the yard, and approached the two men.

   He asked them casually if they would like a hand with their work. The men were surprised. But this haggard and sorry-looking man seemed so much, like one of them, that they trusted him and agreed that they did need some help. 

   When the truck was loaded up; and with as much timber as the men wanted, they turned back to him to thank him. And one of them, asked, ‘Why did you help us? ---Who are you?’ 

   Brokenly, the man replied, ‘I am the owner of this factory. I'm going through some hellish hard struggles in this business at the moment; and I was upstairs in my office, despairing over my book work--- when I--- when suddenly, I---- I just gave up!  Gave it all to--- to I don't know!  I, really don't know, who--- .’  Suddenly, he stopped; and a warm torrent of joy rushed right through him; and beaming, he continued. ‘---But, but then this thought came to me, right out of the blue: what would God want me to do? And as I stood by my window, watching you stealing my wood, I heard him say, 'Go down and help them.'  So here I am.' 

   The two men stared at him, speechless. Then suddenly one of them broke down and wept. Straight away the owner took him into his arms, like a brother, and comforted him; as a compassion, never experienced before, took over, coming from some unknown depth.  He instantly sensed that he was no better than them, and that they knew not what they did. Love, incomprehensible, filled his heart and overflowed; and touched both men. The owner freely forgave them both. Suddenly, they both desperately wanted to put back all they had stolen. But the owner told them to take it. For he knew now, he said, that God would help him, and his business, just as surely as he had helped them. 

   The lives of the three men were changed forever. Two never stole again; and the other, made a new man, also, grew to understand not to resist evil: for he could not again be sure that he even knew what it was. 

   Before the month was out the fortunes of the factory owner were completely turned around and his life filled with peace; and all the more he did good to those who had ill-used him. His business, also, quickly recovered. Soon it prospered and thrived. For with the same measure as he dealt, so was he given, again; and over and above. 

 

    This is a true story.      

 

                                

                                                                     *

(Story) A Book is Like a Sacred Isle . . .

Compassion

  I have just finished reading a book, a biography, about a famous author, whose checkered life at first filled me with dismay, and at times I wondered what on earth I was doing reading a book about such a perverse character; and yet I continued to read, fascinated. The more I read, the more his life was revealed to be truly weird; and to me, even repulsive in places; but his writing was utterly beautiful; astonishingly fine English. And as I chose not to put it aside but to keep on reading I discovered compassion being worked in me; and I found a genuine love for this troubled and tormented man growing within me. Towards the end of the book, at the description of his death, I cried. Then I was sad that the book had come to an end, and that there was no more to read of this totally complex, ‘nearly-great, but fatally flawed man.’ 

  I soon realized that the experience of reading this book had been important and transformative in my life. It had taught me not to be afraid of coming into contact with things I considered ‘strange.’ I saw the good in a person would always balance out, even cancel out, for me at least, all the bad in them. Further, the complex contrast between the two made their good aspects truly shine; just as stars shine only in a dark sky.

  Through reading this book I came to recognize, even further, the fact that there were preconceived opinions in me, and that I didn’t like them, and I didn’t want them in my life. The book’s overall effect on me was that I was taught, more passionately than ever, not to prejudge, anything.

  I realize now how very deeply I wanted to be rid of judgmental opinions, and to have a pure heart that found no cause for the rejection of any fault in any person. What treasure I would have missed out on had I not persevered, and read this wonderful book! …Never let me be afraid of a challenge to change!

  It is not those things we want to know that help us the most, and reveal what we’re after, but those we don’t want to know, and turn from: the real treasure was where we hadn’t looked for it before.

                                               

                                                  *

Story: 1. ) Compassion / from A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE: A Rain of Booklight; A Book about Books...

        

       
         Compassion 

  I have just finished reading a book, a biography, about a famous writer and author whose checkered life, at first, filled me with dismay, and at times I wondered what on earth I was doing reading a book about such a perverse character. But I continued to read, fascinated. The more I read, the more his life was revealed to be truly weird and even repulsive in places, but his writing was utterly beautiful; astonishingly fine English. But the more I read the more I discovered compassion being worked in me, and genuine love for this troubled and tormented man. Towards the end, at the description of his dreadful death, I cried; and I was sad that the book had come to an end and there was no more to read of this utterly complex ‘nearly-great, but fatally flawed man.’    I realized the experience of reading this book had been important in my life. It had taught me not to be afraid of coming into contact with things I consider ‘strange.’ I saw that the good in a person would always balance out, even cancel out, for me at least, all the bad in them; further, the complex contrast made their good aspects, truly shine; just as stars shine only in a black sky.
  Through reading this book I recognized that there were preconceived opinions in me, and that I didn’t like them, and I didn’t want them in my life. The book’s effect on me was that I was taught more passionately, not to prejudge, anything.
  I realize now how very deeply I wanted to be rid of judgmental opinions, and to have a pure heart that found no cause for the rejection of any fault in any person.
  What treasure I would have missed out on had I not persevered, and read this wonderful book! Never let me be afraid of a challenge to change!
  It is not those things we want to know that help us the most and reveal what we’re after, but those we don’t want to know and turn from:  the real treasure was where we hadn't looked for it before!

                                                           *

This is the first anecdote for Part 3:  the prose section of:  A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE; A Rain of Booklight:  a book about books; by Judith Evans Deverell.  Scroll forward for the next anecdote in this prose section of the book. There will be approximately 20 anecdotal sketches in this section.