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She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sandcastle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.
“Hello,” she said. I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child. “I’m building,” she said.
“I see that. What is it?” I asked, not caring.
“Oh, I don’t know, I just like the feel of sand.
“That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes. A sandpiper glided by.
“That’s a joy,” the child said.
“It’s a what?”
“It’s a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy.” The bird went glding down the beach.
“Good-bye joy,” I muttered to myself, “hello pain,” and turned to walk on. I was depressed; my life seemed completely out of balance.
“What’s your name?” She wouldn’t give up.
“Ruth,” I answered. “I’m Ruth Peterson.”
“Mine’s Wendy… I’m six.”
“Hi, Wendy.”
She giggled. “You’re funny,” she said. In spite of my gloom I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me.
“Come again, Mrs. P,” she called. “We’ll have another happy day.”
The days and weeks that followed belong to others: a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out of the dishwater. “I need a sandpiper,” I said to myself, gathering up my coat. The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me.
The breeze was chilly, but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed. I had forgotten the child and was startled when she appeared.
“Hello, Mrs. P,” she said. “Do you want to play?”
“What did you have in mind?” I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.
“I don’t know, you say.”
“How about charades?” I asked sarcastically.
The tinkling laughter burst forth again. “I don’t know what that is.”
“Then let’s just walk.” Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face
“Where do you live?” I asked.
“Over there.” She pointed toward a row of summer cottages. Strange, I thought, in winter.
“Where do you go to school?”
“I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation.” She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.
Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed. Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like demanding she keep her child at home.
“Look, if you don’t mind,” I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, “I’d rather be alone today.”
She seems unusually pale and out of breath.
“Why?” she asked.
I turned to her and shouted, “Because my mother died!” and thought, my God, why was I saying this to a little child?
“Oh,” she said quietly, “then this is a bad day.”
“Yes, and yesterday and the day before and-oh, go away!”
“Did it hurt? ”
“Did what hurt?” I was exasperated with her, with myself.
“When she died?” “Of course it hurt!” I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off. A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn’t there. Feeling guilty, ashamed and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.
“Hello,” I said. “I’m Ruth Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was.”
“Oh yes, Mrs. Peterson, please come in” “Wendy talked of you so much.
I’m afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept my apologies.”
“Not at all-she’s a delightful child,” I said, suddenly realizing that I meant it. “Where is she?”
“Wendy died last week, Mrs. Peterson. She had leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you.” Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. My breath caught.
“She loved this beach; so when she asked to come, we couldn’t say no.
She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly…” her voice faltered.
“She left something for you…if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?”
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something, anything, to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope, with MRS. P printed in bold, childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues-a yellow beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY
Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy’s mother in my arms. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” I muttered over and over, and we wept together.
The precious little picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words- one for each year of her life- that speak to me of harmony, courage, undemanding love. A gift from a child with sea-blue eyes and hair the color sand— who taught me the gift of love.
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NOTE: I hope you have a few Kleenex tissues in that box. The above is a true story sent out by Ruth Peterson. It serves as a reminder to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living and life and each other.
“The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less”
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32 Comments
Gail Andrews
My wonderful husband died of this leukemia and I miss him so much..I have always loved the beach, so the next time I will go there I will remember this sweet story..thanks for making me smile..YOU are so right it is so wrong to keep hating people..we were put on this earth to love each other..xxx,g
30 Aug 2010 01:08 pm
Jo Otero
Out of the mouths of babes….!
30 Aug 2010 02:08 pm
Karyne
Thank you for sharing this incredible true story! Reminds me of the new movie “Letters to God”. So much food for thought for our own lives. God is so good just grasp his incredible love and beauty!
30 Aug 2010 02:08 pm
Bonie Hasty
Thank you for this beautiful story..It brought tears to my eye’s as I read it.
30 Aug 2010 02:08 pm
Cindy Leigh
What a beautiful story and reminder to pay attention to the “little strangers” God brings across our paths. My prayers are with this mother and family. May God give her peace and joy until the day she is reunited with her precious angel. May Wendy’s story touch many hearts and somehow plant a seed for the sake of God’s kingdom. What a blessing Ruth Peterson has shared with us. I will think of her and Wendy every time I see a sandpiper. ~~
30 Aug 2010 03:08 pm
Shirley B
You know that I am crying. It brought tears to my eye’s as I read it and I can only thank you and God for such a story. Thank you for the message
30 Aug 2010 03:08 pm
louise feak
what a beautiful story working for many years as social worker ans nurse this touched my heart and opened some old wounds thnat needed healing The Lord heals and renews the heart
30 Aug 2010 03:08 pm
louise feak
thanks for sharing and God bless the mother of this child
30 Aug 2010 03:08 pm
Bertha Davis
Thank you for sharing such beautiful and heartfelt true story. It reminds me of the love of God. He loves us in spite of ourselves. When we’re down, God sends us someone to encourage us just as He sent the little girl to encourage Mrs. P. This story lets me know that there is joy in the mist of pain.
30 Aug 2010 03:08 pm
R.Meyers
I do not believe in reincarnation! Maybe however animals can sense when a human has a need for comfort. My wife passed on 6 months ago. I have since acquired a cat as a companion. Whenever I am quiet for any length of time e.g. when in bed he periodically comes and checks on me by meowing until I pet him and then leaves or if my sadness at times becomes verbal he will come and sit on my lap again meowing and staring at me for a moment and then he goes and lays in the entrance to my room.
The other night he jumped up onto the davenport where the wall above it is completely filled with pictures of our family. While standing on his hind legs in a very deliberate way, he looked up at each and every picture after which without a sound he came down from the davenport and left the room!
30 Aug 2010 04:08 pm
Buddy
From the mouth of babes.. We need to pay more attention to what they tell us. In such simple words that speak great a great message. Thanks for posting this.
30 Aug 2010 04:08 pm
Craig Wicke
Thank You for this beautiful story. Sometimes it is something like this to put one back in focus to what matters. Share yourself with everyone you meet. Let them leave with a little piece of you. We are all special and I feel that way because you gave me this story today.
30 Aug 2010 04:08 pm
Lill Goodwill
A beautiful Story wish everyone on earth could love each other this way – there would be no divorce – no wars – no violence. Love, really can heal all hearts.
30 Aug 2010 06:08 pm
Julie Whelan
This confirms that we need to be kind to all people we meet. You just don’t know where they are in their life!
30 Aug 2010 06:08 pm
Daniel Thomas
Well wasn’t expecting this as I’m so busy with politics. But for some reason I thought oooh well i’ll glance at it and once I started to read I could not stop and the tears were hot as they run down my face,,,,,,then I realized that once you love someone, no amount of disappointment should wipe out the good memories nor destroy all the love that was once shared,,,,,,,,,,
30 Aug 2010 08:08 pm
Bonnie
Great example of how we ALL need to remember that everyone has a story and being sweet to others NO MATTER WHAT enriches their story AND YOURS!! What a precious little girl!!
30 Aug 2010 08:08 pm
Brenda Mullen
What a beautiful and heartfelt story. It reminds us all to be a bit more loving and a lot less hateful! Thank you for sharing it.
30 Aug 2010 11:08 pm
sonal sharma
i was so upset today but when i read it m feeling so light ,Thank you so much for sharing such beautiful and heartfelt story.
31 Aug 2010 03:08 am
sonal sharma
After reading such beautiful and heartfelt story m feeling so light. thank you so much for sharing.
31 Aug 2010 03:08 am
Dr. R K Singhal
Thank you for this beautiful story..It fills my eye`s with tears`s as I read it.
Pl. keep me listed..
31 Aug 2010 04:08 am
Hazel
Thanks you for all the beautiful story, Hope we change our life too,
31 Aug 2010 06:08 am
Sanjeev
Beautiful message passed by little angle that problems are part and parcel of our life. We should learn to enjoy each and every moment of life. Should prey to GOD to fill our heart with love and peace so that we all spread the same message.
31 Aug 2010 07:08 am
Flaky
Dear, this is a wonderful story, it touched me to my bone marrow. Thank you for this great gift, it brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful little girl that brought socour to Mrs.P. There is a way God want to connect to us but we are always too busy to listen to him. May her soul rest in perfect peace and God should comfort the mother, amen.
31 Aug 2010 10:08 am
LADYwSENSE
I am touched … this is beautiful !
31 Aug 2010 08:08 pm
ugg boots
This is a good,common sense article.Very helpful to one who is just finding the resouces about this part.It will certainly help educate me.
02 Sep 2010 04:09 am
A.L.Noel
I thank you for such a beautiful heart warming story. May she rest in peace. And may The Good Lord comfort her mother and Mrs. P
02 Sep 2010 08:09 pm
Flo Flo
Beautiful Story “And a little child shall lead them”
02 Sep 2010 08:09 pm
Priscilla Simons
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL STORY!! IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES. I COULD PICTURE THE LITTLE GIRL AND MRS. P WALKING THE BEACH. WE NEVER KNOW WHO GOD WILL PUT IN OUR LIVES. I HAVE BEEN SAD LATELY(MY FATHER DIED) BUT THAT STORY BROUGHT ME BACK TO HAPPIER MEMORIES. I HOPE THE LITTLE GIRL AND MRS. P ARE DOING OKAY. GOD BLESS THEM ALL!!!
05 Sep 2010 06:09 pm
Sue
What a beautiful touching story…. yes the mind of a child is so pure that goodness and beauty radiates…. It touched me to the core… God rest her soul in peace.
09 Sep 2010 08:09 am
Dani Fite
Wow, that was just what I needed. Seems I’ve been needing that story. I have not been taking the time to enjoy life with my children. Thank you for sharing.
24 Sep 2010 04:09 am
sarahsmom
It is so easy to become so consumed with our own issues/problems, that we become oblivious to what is around us. This beautiful story reminds us that the world is so much larger than our own problems, and that each and every one of us can make a difference in another’s life during good times and bad.
19 Oct 2010 04:10 am
Nell
This is such a beautiful story. I had a little cousin that died of leukemia years ago. at the age of five. Brings back some sad memories of that.
15 May 2011 05:05 pm