Guest guest Posted April 7, 2000 Report Share Posted April 7, 2000 >> > > > > > > The Empty Egg > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. > > : > > > >>> At the age of 12 he was still in second grade, seemingly > unable > > to > > : > > > >>> learn. His teacher, Doris , often became exasperated > > : > > > >>> with him. He > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> would squirm in his seat, drool, and make grunting noises. At > > : other > > : > > > >>> times, > > : > > > >>> he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had > > : > > > >>> penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, > however, > > : > > > >>> just irritated his teacher. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a > > : > > > >>> consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, > > Doris > > : > > > >>> said to them, " really belongs in a special school. It > > isn't > > : > > > >>> fair to him to be with younger children who don't have > learning > > : > > > >>> problems. Why, there is a five year gap between his age and > that > > : > > > >>> of the other students. " > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband > > : spoke. > > : > > > >>> " Miss , " he said, " there is no school of that kind > nearby. > > : > > > >>> It wuld be a terrible shock for if we had to take him > out > > : of > > : > > > >>> this school. We know he really likes it here. " > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> Doris sat for a long time after they had left, staring at the > > snow > > : > > > >>> outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. > > : > > > >>> She wanted to sympathize with the Forresters. After all, their > > : > > > >>> only child had a terminal illness. But it wasn't fair to > > : > > > >>> keep him in her > > : > > > >>> class. She had 18 other youngsters to teach, and was a > > : > > > >>> distraction. Furthermore, he would never learn to read and > > : > > > >>> write. Why > > : > > > >>> waste anymore time trying? > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here I > am > > : > > > >>> complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that poor > > : > > > >>> family, she thought. Lord, please help me to be more patient > > with > > : > > > >>> . > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> >From that day on, she tried hard to ignore 's noises > and > > : his > > : > > > >>> blank stares. Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging > his > > : bad > > : > > > >>> leg behind him. " I love you, Miss , " he exclaimed, loud > > : enough > > : > > > >>> for the whole class to hear. The other students snickered, and > > : > Doris' > > : > > > >>> face > > : > > > >>> turned red. She stammered, " Wh--why that's very nice, > > : > > > >>> . N--now > > : > > > >>> please take your seat. " > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the > coming > > : > > > >>> of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to > > : emphasize > > : > > > >>> the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the > > : children > > : > a > > : > > > >>> large plastic egg. " Now, " she said to them, " I want you to > take > > : > > > >>> this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside > that > > : > > > >>> shows new life. Do you understand? " > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> " Yes, Miss , " the children responded > enthusiastically--all > > : > > > >>> except for . He listened intently; his eyes never left > her > > : > > > >>> face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood > > : > > > >>> what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he > > : > > > >>> understand the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents > > : > > > >>> and explain the project to them. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the > > : > > > >>> landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. > > : > > > >>> After that, she still had to shop for groceries, iron a > blouse, > > : and > > : > > > >>> prepare > > : > > > >>> a vocabulary test for the next day. She completely forgot > > : > > > >>> about phoning > > : > > > >>> 's parents. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and > > talking > > : > > > >>> as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss > > : > 's > > : > > > >>> desk. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open > the > > : > > > >>> eggs. In the first egg, Doris found a flower. " Oh yes, a > flower > > is > > : > > > >>> certainly a sign of new life, " she said. " When plants peek > > : > > > >>> through the > > : > > > >>> ground, we know that spring is here. " A small girl in the > first > > : row > > : > > > >>> waved > > : > > > >>> her arm. " That's my egg, Miss , " she called out. The > next > > : egg > > : > > > >>> contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real. Doris > > : > > > >>> held it up. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> " We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a > > beautiful > > : > > > >>> butterfly. Yes, that's new life, too. " Little Judy smiled > > : > > > >>> proudly and > > : > > > >>> said, " Miss , that one is mine. " Next, Doris found a > rock > > : with > > : > > > >>> moss > > : > > > >>> on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life. > > : > > > >>> spoke up from the back of the classroom, " My daddy helped me, " > > : > > > >>> he beamed. Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The > > : > > > >>> egg was empty. Surely it must be 's she thought, and > > : > > > >>> of course, he > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> did not understand her instructions. If only she had not > > : > > > >>> forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to > > : > embarrass > > : > > > >>> him, > > : > > > >>> she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another. > > : > > > >>> Suddenly, > > : > > > >>> spoke up. " Miss , aren't you going to talk about my > egg? " > > : > > > >>> Flustered, > > : > > > >>> Doris replied, " But , your egg is empty. " He looked > > : > > > >>> into her eyes > > : > > > >>> and > > : > > > >>> said softly, " Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too. " > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, " Do > > : > > > >>> you know why the tomb was empty? " " Oh, yes, " said, > > : > > > >>> " Jesus was > > : > > > >>> killed and put in there. Then His Father raised Him up. " > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to > > the > > : > > > >>> schoolyard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely > > : > > > >>> away. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> Three months later, died. Those who paid their respects > > at > > : > > > >>> the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his > casket, > > : > > > >>> all of them empty. > > : > > > >>> > > : > > > >>> If this blesses you, pass it on. > > : > > > > : > > > > : > > > : > > > : > > > : > > : > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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