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A quote: “I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.” ~~ Robin Williams
I’ll start with a story …
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Sarah was moved to the Wait room.
She never complained even as she winced in pain from Dora’s tending to her. She would smile later, telling tales of the Before time to ease Dora’s guilt.
Dora watched and planned – unpacked from ancient tissue two surviving teacups … porcelain so thin, the light shined through it.
Dora slipped into Sarah’s room, propped her up on the pillows and watched her eyes fill with joy as the tea was measured into the cups and covered with boiling water.
Later, tea cold, Dora gathered the cups, folding Sarah’s hands, kissing her cold forehead.
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Now, it’s your turn.
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. featured image, cropped, Adobe Stock standard license.
Bruce says: “It was a dark and stormy night”?
Cameron says: Grandma always made me and the other kids sit still for tea served in ancient porcelain cups.
“You youngsters just don’t know how good you have things.” she said with an annoyed sigh. We always had to quietly endure her harangues. But I’d finally had enough.
“Then why am I here? I come here only because of some obligation to family but I choose to no longer be part of it. I don’t need your approval.”
Six months later, she willed me a fortune and the teacups. Apparently, she was waiting for one of us to stand up to her.
When I was little, we used to go to my grandparents’ place for the holidays. I always loved Meemaw’s china cabinet, so tall I had to creen my neck to see the top. It was crammed full of beautiful things, from glass figurines to antique teacups so thin they were translucent. On special days Meemaw would turn on the lights inside her china cabinet to show off her collection in all its glory.
As I grew older, I came to appreciate the history behind those pieces. The glass miniature Statue of Liberty had been brought back from the Colombian Exposition by my twice-great grandfather when he was hardly older than myself. The huge turkey platter had been a graduation present for his daughter, the first member of that side of the family to finish high school. And those beautiful teacups were the last surviving pieces of a set of De Haviland china that had been a wedding present for my great-grandparents on the other side of the family, miraculously spared when a tornado tossed their new home.
By the time I was in high school, Meemaw was beginning to feel her own mortality and making plans for all those treasures in that old house. I was supposed to get those last china teacups.
Except things don’t work out the way we plan. When the Expulsions hit, I ended up on the Moon. And even if those fragile teacups could survive the stresses of liftoff, no one would be spending the money to lift something so frivolous out of Earth’s gravity well.
I told my cousin Marty to take them. Her daughter will love them when she gets big enough to appreciate them.
Charlene Fisher says: She looked again at that mistaken cocktail glass that had been delivered to her table. Thinking maybe it was fate that it came to her table and not wanting to sit dining alone she picked it up for a sip! Its taste gave her the idea that since it had a pleasant flavor possibly the original customer it was intended for could possibly be a pleasant surprising encounter, as well! She took her chances and approached the stranger’s table! So nice to meet you…could I join you?
Was it more than fate that brought them together! Loneliness can be healed in a moment of friendliness even by a stranger!
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