“Marbles”
Dianne Olsen, SW Washington
I received this story quite some time ago, and thought it a good one to pass on. You might want to grab a tissue before you start reading though.
Babs Miller was bagging some potatoes for me when I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes, and as I also pondered the peas I couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Mr. Miller & the ragged boy next to me.
"Hello Barry, how are you today?"
"Hello Mr. Miller. Fine thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas, sure look good."
"They are good Barry, how's your Ma?"
"Fine.Gittin' stronger alla' time."
"Good, anything I can help you with?"
"No sir, jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?"
"No sir, got nuthin' to pay fer em' with"
"Well, what have you got to trade me for some peas?"
"All I gots is my prize marble."
"Is that right, let me see it?"
"Here it is. She's a dandy."
"I can see that....Hmmm. Only thing is, this one's blue, and I like the red ones, do you have a red one at home?"
"Not zackley, but almost."
"Tell you what, take this sack of peas home with you today, and next time you’re this way, let me have a look at the red one."
"Sure will, thanks Mr. Miller."
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said,” There are two other boys in our community, all three in poor circumstances. Jim loves to bargain with them for apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with the red marble, and they always do, he decides he doesn't care for the red one after all, and sends them home with produce for a blue, green, or some other color."
I left the stand impressed with this man and his bartering with the boys. I moved to Colorado a short time later. Several years went by before I had an occasion to visit some old friends back in that Idaho community, and while I was there I learned Mr. Miller had died. They were having his viewing that evening and we decided to go.
We arrived at the funeral home, and fell into a line to meet the family and offer our sympathy. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One in an army uniform, the other two had on nice suits...all very professional looking. They each approached Mrs. Miller, hugged and kissed her, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty blue eyes followed them as one by one they each stopped at the casket and placed their hands over Mr. Miller's. Each left the mortuary wiping his eyes.
When our turn came to greet Mrs. Miller, I told her who I was and mentioned the story of the marbles to her. She smiled and took my hand and led me to the casket. "Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about! They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them for. Now at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size, they came to pay their debt. We've never had a great deal of wealth in this world, but right now Jim would consider himself the wealthiest man in Idaho." With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband, and resting under his hands were three exquisitely shiny red marbles.
Author Unknown.
Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.
Jesus said in Mathew 25:40, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me”
I told you to get the Kleenex! What a powerful story. It is an example of kindness we can each try in following the command to simply LOVE. May you each multiply in marbles.
