Announcing the WINNER of Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets a Glittering World
And the Winner is (drum roll, please!) Carolyn Stoner! Thank you one and all for participating so heartily by commenting on my review of Shirley Showalter’s memoir BLUSH. Carolyn, you will receive your copy of Shirley’s memoir shortly.
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Once upon a time there was a little boy named Curtis, who lived on Greenfern Lane in a very big city called Jacksonville. His Mommy Sarah and Daddy Joel invited his grandparents to feast on a wonderful meal with them one day.
While they were eating home-made spaghetti and telling stories around the table, his NaNa Marian told a new story, “The Tale of the Snow Globe.” Now when Curtis was new born, his Great Grandmother Longenecker came to visit him in the big city of Chicago. She wanted to see her new grandchild for the very first time. Of course, she had visited towns and villages and the cities of Lancaster and Harrisburg many times. She had even gone as far as Niagara Falls on her honeymoon. But she had never seen a big, big city with dozens of skyscrapers.
And then Great Grandma told how she went up, up, up many, many of stories onto the top of the Hancock building, where she could look out and see the Sears tower, the Amoco building and beyond. For a very long time, she stared and stared at the giant buildings and the miniature cars and buses below. Then she went to the gift shop and bought colorful souvenirs: tile coasters, postcards, and a beautiful snow globe with white flakes drifting down on the skyscrapers of Chicago she had seen. Her special souvenir was the snow globe, of course, which sat on a table by her telephone where she could see it day or night.
One day her special prize disappeared. She looked and looked, and had other people look with her, but the snow globe was nowhere to be found. Who could have taken it? Her cleaning lady? Visitors? Was there a break in she wasn’t aware of? The loss and the scary thoughts made Great Grandma very, very sad, NaNa Marian said.
At that very moment, Curtis said to his Daddy, “May I be excused?” After his Daddy said “Yes,” Curtis hurried into his bedroom and came back with his own Chicago snow globe, a larger version of his Great Grandma’s. “Here,” he said. “She can have this!”
“But, Curtis, you brought this down from Chicago to Jacksonville when you were only two. This is a special thing. Are you sure you don’t want to keep it?”
“Oh, I know, but I want Great Grandma to have it. It will make her feel better. You can take it to Pennsylvania in your suitcase the next time you visit her.” And that is exactly what happened.
Shock and Awe
And then tears . . .
Appreciation too
Curtis: Look of Pride
And finally, a grateful Great-Grandmother!
Your comments welcome! I always respond.
Marian, this is so touching… Love, Wanda
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for visiting today, Wanda!
I knew you would appreciate the story. Thanks for commenting!
Aaah what a precious grandson you have, Marian. Beautiful story brought tears to my eyes! Did Auntie Ruth ever find her snow globe?
No, she didn\’t. : (
Good training and a generous, kind, heart displayed in quality character. I see those characteristics in the parents and grandparents, DNA runs deep. Thank you for selecting my name as the winner of Shirley\’s book, \”Blush.\” Lifted my spirits at this particular sad time. Can\’t wait to dive in.
Thanks for all of your comments. You will be transported to a more simple life and time. Expect to be entertained and in some small way comforted as well.
I like the grandmother in the pictures.
(And yes, solve the mystery.)
She\’s my mom, of course!
No, the other grandmother!
I\’ll have to get my grands and greats straight!
Wonderful. Simply wonderful!
It does warm the cockles of your heart. And gives some hope for the next generation.
Wonderful story and what a sweetheart of a grandson to have. I am sure that Great Grandmother Longnecker was as moved as I am…..(sniffs and grabs a kleenex)
Yes, it is a bit of a tearjerker, but in a good way of course!
Tender story, and even true!
You would know . . . you were there!
This is part of what Christ meant when he exorted us to become like little children . . . Such a sweet story about a pure heart.
And best of all, it\’s not a fairy tale!