A Tale Of Two Days
Before I explain the title of this story I wish to apologize for not posting last week’s story. The reason is told in this story. What happened saddened me to the point that I was really depressed and could not do anything including writing the week’s story. I did not yet overcome this difficult situation completely so much so that today I will just type without uploading any pictures to illustrate my story. But let’s begin by explaining the title.
I am sure that many of you read Charles Dickens’ book, ‘A Tale Of Two Cites’.
For today’s story I am borrowing part of this title. In his story Dickens refers to two cities namely Paris and London. In Paris at the time of the story it was ‘hell’ as there was the French Revolution. In London it was ‘haven’ because there was peace and tranquility.
In today’s story I wish to refer to two particular days, Saturday the 14th and the day after, that is Sunday. This therefore is the ‘tale of two days.’
So let me explain. As I told you in my last story, on Saturday evening, for our family and many relatives and friends, it was a little like ‘haven’ because one of my dear sons got married and we were all happy for him and his wife. The wedding feast was a great success and everyone who came enjoyed himself or herself in an exceptional way. On Sunday something happened to me personally and believe me, I felt as if I was deep down in hell. It had nothing to do with the wedding but what I wish you to realize is how one incident can change one’s feelings and mood, just overnight.
Let me tell you what happened on Sunday. To be honest, I do not exactly know what happened and how it happened. Two of my best friends, a man and his sister, whom I really respect and love, came down on me like vultures. We are so close that on several occasions we helped each other in a way that only true friends do.
The female friend started it all and before I knew what hit me I was shouted at, insulted and humiliated in front of members of my family about some silly, trivial thing which I honestly never ever suspected that it could cause any trouble. At first I instinctively reacted in a logical and human way and responded in the same rude and rough way. She was so furious that she did not give me any chance to explain. After a few seconds I realized that this thing was escalating by the second and I suggested that we should stop and end it all there. Perhaps when she calmed down, we would reason things out. But she was all out to tear me to pieces. She really hurt me badly with her words. So I decided to leave the place where we were ……..and so I did.
That evening, her brother whom I really love as a true friend came to meet me at my own home as he often does. At first I did not even suspect the reason for his coming and my wife offered him a cup of tea because we really are close friends. But in an instant he exploded and continued were his sister left. He offended me to the point of making me cry. He accused me, judged me and condemned me in one moment. I tried to understand what he was saying but I felt that either I had lost my memory or I was going mad. I just sat down and let him let off steam and after about ten minutes of shouting and roaring angrily, he left slamming the door behind him. I froze as if hit by lightning.
I was hurt and I was sad mostly because all this was caused by two dear friends whom I love and respect. I could have hurt them too but I was unable to do so because I could not hurt someone I truly love. I could not find any peace in my heart and I kept asking why? Why do these things happen? What did I do wrong and if I did anything wrong, why can’t I realize that it was so wrong to deserve all this? But the more I thought about it, the more I could not understand what was that I did so wrong. I felt the need to be alone and I closed myself in our bedroom. I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling with my eyes full of tears………I just could not understand!!!
Then I saw the Bible on the bedside table and as my wife and I often do, I opened it at random thinking that perhaps I will get some inspiration about the whole situation ……..
but nothing. The part which I read did not mean anything to me in relation to that situation. I paced round and round the room and my eyes fell on a medium sized crucifix we have in our bedroom. I took it off the wall, sat down on the bed and held it with both hands. I brought Christ’s face close to mine and I again asked, “Why? Why my God?” And in an instant I realized that I had the answer. I looked closely at Christ, His hands and feet nailed to the cross. On His head a crown of thorns; blood all over his body………..what did he do to deserve all that. Everything he did was always good and kind and full of love, yet ………. !!!!!!
Don’t think for a moment that I am comparing myself to Christ. I surely am no angel, but I am no devil either. I fear God in the sense that being God, I respect Him and feel so small in His presence……but I love Him, I believe in Him and I do my utmost to abide by his commandments which I consider the Christian way to live……….. but human nature is weak and I do go astray sometimes. But I know that he is a loving and forgiving God.
Some days have now passed and although through a third person we patched up the situation, those harsh words still hurt and I had and still have very bad nights in which I hardly sleep. Believe me although I realize that on my part I had some guilt which may have triggered this unpleasant experience, I honestly declare that I never meant to hurt my friends in the least. It was a misinterpretation of facts but the worst thing was that they took the wrong attitude to deal with what they thought was wrong. If we talked about it in a friendly and civilized way, much heartache would have been avoided. I don’t usually quote criminals but one famous gangster named Al Capone once said, “I can take care of my enemies, but I pray God to protect me from my friends.”
As I just said the worst comes during the night when I cannot sleep. Without wanting it every night I go through all that which happened on that hell of a day, and then I try to teach myself what I could have done to avoid it…………..but what's done is done! Nevertheless, I try to look at it from a positive angle and in my heart I say that if such a situation develops again, I will act differently.
As I toss and turn in my bed I often can’t help thinking of the crucifix I held in my hands that day. As I think and contemplate in the dark hours of the night, I recall a particular episode which we used to relive each year in the days when my wife and I used to attend the prayer meetings. This episode gave me some peace in my heart because as ‘God is my witness’, I did not do anything with bad intention.
I will narrate this episode in my next story as I see that today’s story which is shorter than usual, can stop here even because I am not much in the mood of writing any more today. Please pardon me and I will meet you next Saturday when this very black cloud will not blacken my mind so much, hopefully!!
PS. Today I feel that instead of the usual ‘Quote of the Day”, I will write a prayer that comes right now in my heart.
Prayer:
My dear God I love you. People may judge me and condemn me, but you know me inside out and you surely know that I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, least of all these two persons who are so close to my heart. You know my Lord that I always try to do my best, but today I beg you to do the rest. Please give my dear friends who hurt me so much, all that they need including love, health and happiness and if I wronged them in any way, may they find some kindness in their heart to forgive me. Thank you my God.
Before I explain the title of this story I wish to apologize for not posting last week’s story. The reason is told in this story. What happened saddened me to the point that I was really depressed and could not do anything including writing the week’s story. I did not yet overcome this difficult situation completely so much so that today I will just type without uploading any pictures to illustrate my story. But let’s begin by explaining the title.
I am sure that many of you read Charles Dickens’ book, ‘A Tale Of Two Cites’.
For today’s story I am borrowing part of this title. In his story Dickens refers to two cities namely Paris and London. In Paris at the time of the story it was ‘hell’ as there was the French Revolution. In London it was ‘haven’ because there was peace and tranquility.
In today’s story I wish to refer to two particular days, Saturday the 14th and the day after, that is Sunday. This therefore is the ‘tale of two days.’
So let me explain. As I told you in my last story, on Saturday evening, for our family and many relatives and friends, it was a little like ‘haven’ because one of my dear sons got married and we were all happy for him and his wife. The wedding feast was a great success and everyone who came enjoyed himself or herself in an exceptional way. On Sunday something happened to me personally and believe me, I felt as if I was deep down in hell. It had nothing to do with the wedding but what I wish you to realize is how one incident can change one’s feelings and mood, just overnight.
Let me tell you what happened on Sunday. To be honest, I do not exactly know what happened and how it happened. Two of my best friends, a man and his sister, whom I really respect and love, came down on me like vultures. We are so close that on several occasions we helped each other in a way that only true friends do.
The female friend started it all and before I knew what hit me I was shouted at, insulted and humiliated in front of members of my family about some silly, trivial thing which I honestly never ever suspected that it could cause any trouble. At first I instinctively reacted in a logical and human way and responded in the same rude and rough way. She was so furious that she did not give me any chance to explain. After a few seconds I realized that this thing was escalating by the second and I suggested that we should stop and end it all there. Perhaps when she calmed down, we would reason things out. But she was all out to tear me to pieces. She really hurt me badly with her words. So I decided to leave the place where we were ……..and so I did.
That evening, her brother whom I really love as a true friend came to meet me at my own home as he often does. At first I did not even suspect the reason for his coming and my wife offered him a cup of tea because we really are close friends. But in an instant he exploded and continued were his sister left. He offended me to the point of making me cry. He accused me, judged me and condemned me in one moment. I tried to understand what he was saying but I felt that either I had lost my memory or I was going mad. I just sat down and let him let off steam and after about ten minutes of shouting and roaring angrily, he left slamming the door behind him. I froze as if hit by lightning.
I was hurt and I was sad mostly because all this was caused by two dear friends whom I love and respect. I could have hurt them too but I was unable to do so because I could not hurt someone I truly love. I could not find any peace in my heart and I kept asking why? Why do these things happen? What did I do wrong and if I did anything wrong, why can’t I realize that it was so wrong to deserve all this? But the more I thought about it, the more I could not understand what was that I did so wrong. I felt the need to be alone and I closed myself in our bedroom. I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling with my eyes full of tears………I just could not understand!!!
Then I saw the Bible on the bedside table and as my wife and I often do, I opened it at random thinking that perhaps I will get some inspiration about the whole situation ……..
but nothing. The part which I read did not mean anything to me in relation to that situation. I paced round and round the room and my eyes fell on a medium sized crucifix we have in our bedroom. I took it off the wall, sat down on the bed and held it with both hands. I brought Christ’s face close to mine and I again asked, “Why? Why my God?” And in an instant I realized that I had the answer. I looked closely at Christ, His hands and feet nailed to the cross. On His head a crown of thorns; blood all over his body………..what did he do to deserve all that. Everything he did was always good and kind and full of love, yet ………. !!!!!!
Don’t think for a moment that I am comparing myself to Christ. I surely am no angel, but I am no devil either. I fear God in the sense that being God, I respect Him and feel so small in His presence……but I love Him, I believe in Him and I do my utmost to abide by his commandments which I consider the Christian way to live……….. but human nature is weak and I do go astray sometimes. But I know that he is a loving and forgiving God.
Some days have now passed and although through a third person we patched up the situation, those harsh words still hurt and I had and still have very bad nights in which I hardly sleep. Believe me although I realize that on my part I had some guilt which may have triggered this unpleasant experience, I honestly declare that I never meant to hurt my friends in the least. It was a misinterpretation of facts but the worst thing was that they took the wrong attitude to deal with what they thought was wrong. If we talked about it in a friendly and civilized way, much heartache would have been avoided. I don’t usually quote criminals but one famous gangster named Al Capone once said, “I can take care of my enemies, but I pray God to protect me from my friends.”
As I just said the worst comes during the night when I cannot sleep. Without wanting it every night I go through all that which happened on that hell of a day, and then I try to teach myself what I could have done to avoid it…………..but what's done is done! Nevertheless, I try to look at it from a positive angle and in my heart I say that if such a situation develops again, I will act differently.
As I toss and turn in my bed I often can’t help thinking of the crucifix I held in my hands that day. As I think and contemplate in the dark hours of the night, I recall a particular episode which we used to relive each year in the days when my wife and I used to attend the prayer meetings. This episode gave me some peace in my heart because as ‘God is my witness’, I did not do anything with bad intention.
I will narrate this episode in my next story as I see that today’s story which is shorter than usual, can stop here even because I am not much in the mood of writing any more today. Please pardon me and I will meet you next Saturday when this very black cloud will not blacken my mind so much, hopefully!!
PS. Today I feel that instead of the usual ‘Quote of the Day”, I will write a prayer that comes right now in my heart.
Prayer:
My dear God I love you. People may judge me and condemn me, but you know me inside out and you surely know that I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, least of all these two persons who are so close to my heart. You know my Lord that I always try to do my best, but today I beg you to do the rest. Please give my dear friends who hurt me so much, all that they need including love, health and happiness and if I wronged them in any way, may they find some kindness in their heart to forgive me. Thank you my God.