She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years
old, this beautiful red-haired, freckle-faced image of innocence. It was
pouring outside -- the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters,
so much in a hurry to hit the earth that it has no time to flow down the
spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of
the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature
messed up their hurried day.
I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight
of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of
running, splashing so carefree as a child, came pouring in as a welcome
reprieve from the worries of my day.
Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught
in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's
run through the rain!" she repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows
down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute
and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain." "We'll get soaked if we
do," Mom said. "No we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,"
the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. "This morning? When
did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember?
When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can
get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything
but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few
minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even
ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's
life, a time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom
into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain.
If GOD lets us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. They
off they ran.
We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars
and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their
heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who
screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes,
I did. I ran too. I got wet. I guess I needed washing.
- Story by Bob Perks -
Copyright (c) by Rusti since 2002
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