Write On!

              " See you Arch," Syd tried to respond cheerfuliy--' Tll keep in
touch"-- and with a sad feeling he turned and walked out of. the
room.
The rain was still coming down as he approached his blue
Saturn in the parking lot He quickly jumped into the car and
prepared to leave when he noticed something under his windshield
wipers. Annoyed that someone would put a flyer, or such, on his
windshield— he angrily went to retrieve the paper and throw it away.
" What the heck is this?" he questioned in his mind. He became
aware that bis attitude at this very moment was not the best but as
he looked at what he had removed from the window he could not
quite comprehend just exactly what it was. As he unfolded what
appeared as a red stick- like object he became aware of the fact that
it was a small Canadian flag in which had been placed a ragged
piece of paper that was an entry form for some kind of a contest.
He turned the paper over and realized that some words were
scribbled on the back. The message he read impacted him so
greatly, that the raw emotions evoked over the last few days broke
forth like a dam collapsing, and tears of both sadness and
compassion trickled down his cheeks. Those words were directed
to a complete stranger with an American license plate and read—" I
hurt and I cry, and mourn what happened to our neighbours! From
Darlene— a Canadian." Syd, the ' typical' American macho man,
had been brought down to his knees!
I met with my old friend that evening, to say goodbye— and
this was the first thing he had to tell me about, and show to me.
Tears fell down my cheeks, and I was overwhelmed with the
sympathetic kindness of one stranger to another. I thought about
the last few days of the bombardment of news casts I had
witnessed, in which nations, peoples, literally millions have rallied
around the victims, rescue workers, government officials, etc. " To
what costs must people suffer in order to have mankind respect and
care about each other!" I choked out in our ensuing conversation.
" It makes no sense whatsoever!" I really believe that this is the
end of our world as we, the people, know it today. This planet will
never be the same!
So Darlene, whoever you are, you did a wonderful thing by
taking a moment, to identify with your fellow man, and to help us
realize that in all things in life we are ' one'. I pray that all the
single tears that have fallen, in fear, in grief, in shock and terror will
blend together to become a floodway to wash away the evil in this
world, And, Oh Lord, God, let us not forget to be kind!
***