'This is is a long, lonely and mundane road.' Christa mumbles as her shoulders fall. She gazes into the distance daydreaming. A little time passes before she points to wildflowers covering a rolling hill in the distance. Mr. Scarecrow and lady of the Tin look to the left side of the road where she is pointing to. 'Those fields are beautiful. It could not hurt to stop and pick some flowers.'
Mr. Scarecrow, scratches his head, 'I do not think...that is a good idea. I fear that if we get off course again. We will not be able to find our way.' Mr. Scarecrow's body shakes. 'It makes me anxious thinking about being overwhelmed .'
'But it could not be that bad. After all, that is how I meant you.' She smiles at him.
Lady of the Tin frowns, 'do you remember how we met?'
Christa sighs, 'Yeah...there's that.' Christa shakes her head, 'I just wish this road was more exciting.'
'We must stay on the path to stay safe. We can make it fun. I will sang a song to cheer you up.' Mr. Scarecrow nods.
'As long as, it's not corny.' Lady of the Tin grumbles.
Mr. Scarecrow shrugs his shoulders, 'Sorry, Lady, corny is my thing. It could have been my middle name. '
He begins singing as the Lady of the Tin rolls her eyes. Soon, Mr. Scarecrow begins to dance and Christa joins him. They continue down the path laughing, dancing and singing. As the Lady of the Tin stops for a sip of tea to warm her. Farther down the road a sudden gust of chilly wind swept a banner of autumn leaves onto the path. The Lady of the Tin looks up and she watches as low lying clouds multiply like a living cell.
Lady of the Tin catches up to her friends. In a calm tone, she speaks, ' I think there is a storm coming. We should find shelter.'
Without looking at the sky, Mr. Scarecrow keeps his focus on the religious road ahead, 'nonsense, we need to stay on the path. If there is a storm coming, staying on the path will keep us safe and out of the path of any storm.'
Christa stops singing and dancing and looks up at the sky now covered with gray clouds. 'Lady of the Tin, has a point. Plus, I am exhausted. I think I need to rest.'
'The more time we take resting, the more time it takes until we reach the one who can help us. I will carry you on my back.
'Fine.' Christa hops onto Mr. Scarecrow's back as the wind increases it rage on the land. Soon, a thick fog emerges to the right of the road ahead. Mr. Scarecrow open his map and Christa helps him read it while the Lady of the Tin searches the landscape.
Seeing the fog all around, she says. 'We must sit down and wait for the fog to clear.'
Mr. Scarecrow looks at her, 'you think too much.'
A short time later, a thick fog to overtake the road and the travelers. Mr. Scarecrow keeping fight through the fog, his stride because wobbly as he zig zags across the path. Christa, notices Mr. Scarecrow struggling and hops off his back.
She points to the left side of the road where the fog is thinner. 'We could walk over there.'
'No, Christa! We must...' Mr. Scarecrow tips and fall into the thick fog. 'aaa…'
Christa and the Lady of the Tin call to him, but he does not answer.
'What do we do now?' Christa shakes her head and cries .
The Lady of the Tin points to left side of the road where the fog is thinner, 'Let's go that way. Maybe we can see his shadow. Keep you ears open and keep calling for him. '
The two women step off the path and continue to call out to Mr. Scarecrow. Shadows emerge over the women as a witchy crackling laughs pierces their ears. They look up to see monkeys swinging from trees above them. The monkey continue to make noises above them and distract Christa's ears from tracking Mr. Scarecrow's shouts. She covers her ears as her eyes shiver with fear and frustration.
However, the Lady of the Tin picks up his voice calling out for them and motions Christa towards it. The two women move diagonally left towards the sound of his voice. The fog begin to clear allowing them to see the scarecrow's shadow.
Suddenly, Mr. Scarecrow cries, 'ow...'
Christa sees another shadow peeking out behind a tree holding a slingshot. She cries out stop and runs toward Mr. Scarecrow is rubbing his head. Another stone strikes him in the shoulder and crumbles down into a fetus position. A stone strikes Christa's arm as she approaches.
'Easy David, we ain't giants,' Christa puts her hands up in the air.
The shadow moves out from behind the tree and Christa sees an old gentleman pouncing at her with a stone loaded in his slingshot. She also notices the Lady of the Tin quickly move toward the man. Before Christa can say anything, the lady swings a stick and strikes him in the head.
'Can we all please put down the sticks and stone?' Christa says as she comforts Mr. Scarecrow. The man drops onto his knees and the slingshot falls from his shaky hands. His eyes widen as his mumbling grow louder, 'This is not real! This is not real! They are just ghosts. Ghosts! Haunting ghost ' The old man raises his hands to heaven, 'why will they not leave me alone!' The man covers his ears, 'Stop! I am sorry! Please, leave me alone!'
The Lady of the Tin lowers her head and a tear runs down her cheek. Her body melts to the ground along side the man. Her hand slowly touches him.
The man closes his eyes, rubs them before opening them again, 'you...you are all real!'
'Yes, we are here with you.'
'mmm...ow...' The man rubs his head,' I felt that one. It really hurt.'
The Lady of the Tin whispers, 'I had no choice mister. You were hurting my friends.'
The man begins to weep, 'I...I am sorry. I cannot control my memories. They haunt me like ghosts. I thought they were out to get me.'
'Lucky for me, I don't have much brains to damage.' Mr. Scarecrow smiles.
'I have a pot of stew simmer at my cabin. I need to get back to it' The man attempts to rise onto his feet, but he stumbles onto his backside.
The Lady of the Tin tries to grab him and he slaps her hand away. 'I was only trying to help you.'
'Sorry,' the man mumbles. 'I don't like to be touched . I have a fight instinct.'
'I am a doctor. Please allow me to check your head out. It's the least I can do.' The Lady of the Tin offers him a stick for support.
The man nods, 'I must check on my supper. You can look me over me back at my cabin.'
The three friends follow the man back to his old cabin near by. The aroma of vegetable stew fill the one-room cabin up. Christa offers to attend to the stew and Mr. Scarecrow offers to bake the cornbread the man has prepared while The Lady of the Tin examines the man and hands him an ice pack. The man invites them to stay for dinner.
On the floor on his cabin, the four gather around in a circle.
'What is your name, mister? Mr. Scarecrow asks.
'Honestly, I don't care to remember that myself. There is much blood on my hands from fighting war for those who hunger for power by any means. They don't care if it comes through destruction. I have yielded death's scythe for too many years. Now, death's shadow follows me everywhere I go. I cannot even look at myself in the mirror...'
'It wasn't your fault. You were only following order.' Mr. Scarecrow injects
'A lot of good that did me...'
'I am so sorry.' Christa face mirrors then old man's.
'I do not need your pit, young lady. I have come to accept that I am just an old weary soul used up and useless.'
'that's not true.' Mr. Scarecrow blurts out.
'Did you serve your country!' The man blurts out.
Mr. Scarecrow shakes his head.
'Yeah, I didn't think so...You would not understand the haunting guilt I feel everyday.' The man slurps his stew.
'That are programs out there to help vets like you.' Christa says as she scoop up another spoonful.
The man slams his bowl onto the floor, 'where are those? The government abandon me after the war was over. People that I protect rejected me because I have a bad eye and cannot read well. I was left with a bad hip, a pollute heart and a poisoned mind.'
'War is ugly. I served in the army for only four years, but I saw enough to know the weight that it places on a person's soul.
The Ol' Weary Spirit eyes open, 'So, what is your secret to coping with all the flashbacks?'
'Time and therapy. It was group therapy is what lead me to becoming a doctor. I wanted to fight against death instead of with it.' The Lady of the Tin sighs, 'In fact, we are headed into Greenstone. I know there are many great program for financial, medical and emotional support in Greenstone and it is all free.'
'My granddaughter, Irene, lives in Greenstone.' The man focuses his attention on her.
Christa smiles, 'Is that the wedding invitation I saw on your counter.'
'Yeah,' the Ol' Weary Spirit replies without looking at her. 'she wants me to walk her down the aisle...Her father died in a car accident three years ago.' The Ol' Weary Spirit pauses to shallow, 'I do not understand why she even wants me there. I wasn't around when she was younger...'
Christ sighs, 'You are her grandfather still. She probably wants to get to know you better. My father died of cancer and his father is in a nursing home too weak to walk me down the aisle. I don't know my maternal grandfather because my mother was adopted. Still, I think if I ever get married and I found my mother's father, I would want him to walk me down the aisle too.'
'The fact is... I am in no shape for such a grand task. She is better off without me.'
'Why is that?' Mr. Scarecrow asks.
'I am a danger to everyone around me.' The Ol' Weary Spirit shook his head. 'You of all people should know that. I struck you with rocks.'
'We did wonder onto your property, sir I am just glad you did not have a gun.'
'Nonsense. I am a loose cannon! That is why I live out here alone. To keep everyone safe from me. It is my prison where I cannot hurt anyone because of my inability to gain control over.'
'I know of some great doctor who can help you. One is located in Greenstone.' The Lady of the Tin replies.
'We would love to have you with us on our journey. We are going to see the one who will help us with our problems too.' Mr. Scarecrow smiles.
'I...I do not even know you.' The Ol' Weary Spirit frowns.
'I am sure your grand daughter would love to see you. ' Christa smiles.
'My granddaughter is a great and beautiful person. I don't trust myself not to damage her. I rather have her believe I am a grumpy old man than to know I am broken and weak.'
The Lady of the Tin stands up, 'The truth is that we are lost and we need help finding the road to get there.'
'That is the religious road,' Mr. Scarecrow adds.
'I...I... haven't travel down that road since I was a small lad. I lost faith in the big man before the war even started... So, I would know how to find that road.'
'Do you know another way to get to Greenstone?' Christa looks into the Old Weary Spirit's eyes.
'I know a short cut there through the jungle.'
'Great!' Christa eyes light up. 'Will you please take us there?'
He breaks eye contact with her, 'I guess...I could take you...it's not that far.'
The Lady of the Tin put the teapot on and makes tea for the four. After they all experience a restless night sleep, the Ol' Weary Spirit leads the three friends through the jungle to the city.
They arrive at the foot of a sky- high tall church that look like a fortress The four gasps. 'Wow...'
Christa shallows before knocking of the nine foot tall wooden doors.
Along our journey of life, the atmosphere is bound to change especially when we do not want it to. We can be in a long summer season where life is a beach and we have friends around the campfire with to share stories. I know many would agree that the feeling of comfort is addictive. It is not easy to let it go.
People around us may warn us of a problem brewing. Yet, we refuse to acknowledge it and wait. Some may even us offer advice on how to deal with it. Yet, we refuse to listen. We may even refuse to admit that there is a problem and take the time to plan a solution. or wait on God before we continue. We can become so focus on what we want to see that we are blind to a storm right in front of us. We can become impatient with getting to where we want to be that we do not stop to pray for assurance. We can become so consume with thinking that stop following God's will and we miss his redirection.
So when in the blink of an eye the warm beach and starry night disappears, we are not prepared to deal with it. We trip and fall, become confused because life got too foggy for us to see. We often get lost and lose our way. We may cross path with others who view us as a ghost in their past. We can even end up in a strange environment where our lives are in real danger.
But God
In these times, we learn who are real friends are. They take action to help us find our way back. They call us to check on how we are going, remind us that we are loved, they tell us that they are thinking about us and praying for us. They may even drop everything to meet us where we are or risk their own life to protect us for getting hurt farther. Sometimes, we end up hurting others to protect our friends. Those People who appear like angry monsters out to hurt anyone who dares to enter their world.
(This is not to say that we are support to try to help every person we meet. There are some people that we need to help from a distance by praying for them or help them by seeking out someone who may be better equipped to help them. )
But God loves all
God uses our shortcomings and mistakes to guide us to people who need help too. If we stop to listen, we can hear the pain under the destructive nature of people. At that time, if we stop to meet them where they are. I am certain that you have heard that we can comfort others even when we are uncomfortable ourselves. Our hearts can sympathize with others when we stop to realize they have a story too. Yet, not everyone will not have the experiences to relate to every person's pain.
Empathy is created from personal experiences.
God may have gifted us with skills or resources that they need. Our own triumphs through similar situations can give a person hope even when they do not find faith within themselves. We may know of resources or other people that can aid them with their struggles. In return, they may be willing to help us with our situation when we accept them the way they are.
The Ol' Weary Spirit is a symbol of faith. That is not because he has faith, no; it is because he reminds us of the vital need for it. The need for faith is the strongest when we are going through a foggy situation where we cannot see. When fear is feeding on our insecurities. When situations or people are attacking us. When we are tired of fighting and weary from life's hardships. Faith is needed when we are haunted by decisions in our past that we have fought, unsuccessfully, to break free from. After all, it takes faith to believe in what is not yet seen or come to be.
This thanksgiving season, I will bring The Ol' Weary Spirit to the table of gratitude.
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