A Sandpiper To Bring You Joy

Posted 2023-04-25

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A Sandpiper To Bring You Joy

ShewassixyearsoldwhenIfirstmetheronthebeachnearwhereIlive.Idrivetothisbeach,adistanceofthreeorfourmiles,whenevertheworldbeginstocloseinonme.Shewasbuildingasandcastleorsomethingandlookedup,hereyesasblueasthesea.

"Hello,"shesaid.Iansweredwithanod,notreallyinthemoodtobotherwithasmallchild."I'mbuilding,"shesaid."Iseethat.Whatisit?"Iasked,notcaring."Oh,Idon'tknow,Ijustlikethefeelofsand."Thatsoundsgood,Ithought,andslippedoffmyshoes.Asandpiperglidedby."That'sajoy,"thechildsaid."It'sawhat?""It'sajoy.Mymamasayssandpiperscometobringusjoy."Thebirdwentglissadingdownthebeach."Good-byejoy,"Imutteredtomyself,"hellopain,"andturnedtowalkon.Iwasdepressed;mylifeseemedcompletelyoutofbalance."What'syourname?"Shewouldn'tgiveup."Ruth,"Ianswered."I'mRuthPeterson.""Mine'sWendy...I'msix.""Hi,Wendy."Shegiggled."You'refunny,"shesaid.InspiteofmygloomIlaughedtooandwalkedon.Hermusicalgigglefollowedme."Comeagain,Mrs.P,"shecalled."We'llhaveanotherhappyday."Thedaysandweeksthatfollowedbelongtoothers:agroupofunrulyBoyScouts,PTAmeetings,andailingmother.ThesunwasshiningonemorningasItookmyhandsoutofthedishwater."Ineedasandpiper,"Isaidtomyself,gatheringupmycoat.Theever-changingbalmoftheseashoreawaitedme.Thebreezewaschilly,butIstrodealong,tryingtorecapturetheserenityIneeded.Ihadforgottenthechildandwasstartledwhensheappeared."Hello,Mrs.P,"shesaid."Doyouwanttoplay?""Whatdidyouhaveinmind?"Iasked,withatwingeofannoyance."Idon'tknow,yousay.""Howaboutcharades?"Iaskedsarcastically.Thetinklinglaughterburstforthagain."Idon'tknowwhatthatis.""Thenlet'sjustwalk."Lookingather,Inoticedthedelicatefairnessofherface."Wheredoyoulive?"Iasked."Overthere."Shepointedtowardarowofsummercottages.Strange,Ithought,inwinter."Wheredoyougotoschool?""Idon'tgotoschool.Mommysayswe'reonvacation."Shechatteredlittlegirltalkaswestrolledupthebeach,butmymindwasonotherthings.WhenIleftforhome,Wendysaidithadbeenahappyday.Feelingsurprisinglybetter,Ismiledatherandagreed.Threeweekslater,Irushedtomybeachinastateofnearpanic.IwasinnomoodtoevengreetWendy.IthoughtIsawhermotherontheporchandfeltlikedemandingshekeepherchildathome."Look,ifyoudon'tmind,"IsaidcrosslywhenWendycaughtupwithme,"I'dratherbealonetoday."Sheseemsunusuallypaleandoutofbreath."Why?"sheasked.Iturnedtoherandshouted,"Becausemymotherdied!"andthought,myGod,whywasIsayingthistoalittlechild?"Oh,"shesaidquietly,"thenthisisabadday.""Yes,andyesterdayandthedaybeforeand-oh,goaway!""Didithurt?""Didwhathurt?"Iwasexasperatedwithher,withmyself."Whenshedied?""Ofcourseithurt!"Isnapped,misunderstanding,wrappedupinmyself.Istrodeoff.

Amonthorsoafterthat,whenInextwenttothebeach,shewasn'tthere.Feelingguilty,ashamedandadmittingtomyselfImissedher,Iwentuptothecottageaftermywalkandknockedatthedoor.Adrawnlookingyoungwomanwithhoney-coloredhairopenedthedoor."Hello,"Isaid."I'mRuthPeterson.Imissedyourlittlegirltodayandwonderedwhereshewas.""Ohyes,Mrs.Peterson,pleasecomein""Wendytalkedofyousomuch.I'mafraidIallowedhertobotheryou.Ifshewasanuisance,please,acceptmyapologies.""Notatall-she'sadelightfulchild,"Isaid,suddenlyrealizingthatImeantit."Whereisshe?""Wendydiedlastweek,Mrs.Peterson.Shehadleukemia.Maybeshedidn'ttellyou."Struckdumb,Igropedforachair.Mybreathcaught."Shelovedthisbeach;sowhensheaskedtocome,wecouldn'tsayno.Sheseemedsomuchbetterhereandhadalotofwhatshecalledhappydays.Butthelastfewweeks,shedeclinedrapidly..."hervoicefaltered."Sheleftsomethingforyou...ifonlyIcanfindit.CouldyouwaitamomentwhileIlook?"

Inoddedstupidly,mymindracingforsomething,anything,tosaytothislovelyyoungwoman.Shehandedmeasmearedenvelope,withMRS.Pprintedinbold,childishletters.Insidewasadrawinginbrightcrayonhues-ayellowbeach,abluesea,andabrownbird.Underneathwascarefullyprinted:ASANDPIPERTOBRINGYOUJOY

Tearswelledupinmyeyes,andaheartthathadalmostforgottentoloveopenedwide.ItookWendy'smotherinmyarms."I'msosorry,I'msorry,I'msosorry,"Imutteredoverandover,andwewepttogether.

Thepreciouslittlepictureisframednowandhangsinmystudy.Sixwords-oneforeachyearofherlife-thatspeaktomeofharmony,courage,undemandinglove.Agiftfromachildwithsea-blueeyesandhairthecolorsand---whotaughtmethegiftoflove.