Reconciliation
by Susan Ellis
Jerry, one of eleven children born to a farming family in the Midwest, was ten years old when he contracted rheumatic fever. For weeks Arthur ignored his wife’s pleas to take their very ill son to a doctor, told her the Lord would heal him. On a visit home from nursing school, their oldest daughter saw Jerry’s limbs jump and jerk from St. Vitus’ Dance and said: “Better get him to a hospital. Now.” Jerry spent six months in the hospital recovering.
Thirty years later, Arthur asked his granddaughter, Emily, “Your dad ever tell you about being healed by the Lord when he was a boy?”
Emily shook her head no.
“Well, Jerry was home from the hospital but still pretty weak. The family went to prayer meeting but your dad was too feeble to go, so I stayed home with him. We got on our knees and prayed and prayed to the Lord to heal him. Suddenly Jerry jumped up and shouted, ‘I’m healed! I’m healed!’ I will never forget that day, not as long as I live.”
A week later Emily took a walk with her father.
“Grandpa told me about your being healed by God after your hospital stay.”
They walked in silence for a while, and then Jerry said, “The truth of it is, I knew I’d be on my knees for hours and hours praying to God to heal me. So after a bit, I jumped up and shouted ‘I’m healed! ‘I’m healed!”
So cute. I think I'd have done the same! ;)
ReplyDeleteSmart kid.
ReplyDeleteshort,simple and add to it a good message:)well done:)
ReplyDeleteGreat little story here. I love the idea that one generation's miracle can become another generation's inside joke.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Nice touch!
ReplyDeleteHah! This really tickles my funny side. I live in the Philippines. It's very religious here. And there are a lot of people, exactly like the dad in this story.
ReplyDeleteIts practices like these that made me an atheist in a super-religious family. I still pray with my dad when he comes over to visit though, just to make him happy.
ReplyDeleteSo I loved this piece for more reasons than one.
Thank you for sharing.
Ha ha ha! A wonderful read, and gotta love a dad that levels with his daughter like that. Total salt of the Earth family with a nice look across generations. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the different perspectives on the same event. I guessed at the truth of it even when reading the grandfather's account: who wouldn't claim to be healed if it got them out of hours on their knees?
ReplyDeleteHA! Nice job playing with perspectives... everyone knows a different story. :)
ReplyDeleteThough this one starts out as one of those heal-by-prayer stories, it turns around, made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteNice...
Dottie :)
Loved the twist in the end!! Jerry is one canny dad! Take care
ReplyDeletex
Jerry had the last laugh! Great twist at the end. :) ~Jana A.
ReplyDeleteThis was a charming story (perhaps with a soupcon of truth). Of such things are our lives made.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
This hits very close to home for me. I like how you captured the different characters. The timing in the ending works perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the comments--perhaps the best part of this contest.
ReplyDeleteSusan - this did make me smile. It amazes me how many children of the deeply religious grow up with absolute faith in science and a dark sense of humour, I count myself firmly in the Jerry-camp.
ReplyDeleteWell done.
So true. Reality changes depending upon the point of view. It's hard to write a large setting/world in 250 words. You did a fine job.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Forties Club!