Note: Just a little drabble, inspired after listening to
Comment if you feel like it. It was written mainly because I felt like it. Nothing serious.
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They were both still in college - he, trying for his Master's Degree in Geo-technical Engineering, and she was attending Medical School, though on the same, diverse campus. She had been by his side for longer than he could remember - their families had been close friends for generations. He found it amazing that no one had married between the families yet.
But, as the world would have it, it seemed it was not meant to be. His father had just passed away, and he was having to return home for the funeral within the week, and he had also volunteered to help pay for funeral cost with his life savings and by pulling out a student loan. His family had never had much money. They weren't poor, per say, but they did not live a life of luxury - he was attending college on a large scholarship he had won.
Now he was broke, heartbroken at the loss of his father, and without the money he was going to use for an engagement ring to present to her upon their graduation.
Such a lovely Christmas this was turning out to be.
A sharp chirp brought him from the recess of his mind - a message from her. He was tempted to open it, to confide in her as they had done over the years, but something was keeping him from doing so. Was it some kind of male pride, intent on not letting her see him in his distraught state? No, it wasn't that.... Then what?
An emptiness seemed to be inside him, one that was not present before. Was this what it was like to lose someone you loved? To know that they'd never be there again? To know he'd never see his face spread into a hearty grin as he saw his own son walk in for Christmas dinner, attending school three-thousand miles away?
Oh, they had their squabbles, but he was his father, and he was sad to see him go.
"I just need something to take the edge off....," he said, as he turned to the crowd, in hopes of losing himself.
Should he? The crowd was such a mindless, unfeeling swarm...unaware and apathetic to the cares and woes of those around them, concerned with only their own wants and needs. Did he want to be like that? Would giving in to the mindless, cold buzz take away this ache?
And for a time, he let it overwhelm him to see.
The whoosh of crashing water brought him, once again, to this world. He had broken away from the crowd and had, in a blank state, wandered to his favorite place on campus - a small park built in memorial of students who had long since passed away, in a shooting at the college decades earlier. Oddly, it was a peaceful place, and the birch tree and running water was a serene setting, especially in the spring. Never once did it seem like a mournful place, only one of peaceful serenity.
And so he took his favorite spot, upon his favorite bench, and wept.
"Why, son, are you alright?"
He looked up. A man, in tattered garment, stood before him, a look of true concern on his face. His face was grizzled and worn - he'd seen the cold of the nighttime streets many a time -, his face was framed by slick, stark raven hair that fell to his shoulders, and accented by the a grizzly facial hair that grew after a few weeks without consulting a razor.
He shook his head, his voice lost.
"Why don't you tell me what's wrong," the man said, taking a seat beside him.
"I...My...My father just passed away," he said, his voice a harsh croak, fighting the lump in his throat. He couldn't confide in her, yet was willing to open up to a stranger? What was wrong with him?
"Ah, I see...I'm sorry, my friend. That's always a rough time in your life. Anything I can do to help? Even if it's just to listen, a moment of my time is nothing if it helps ease your troubles," the man said, his grizzled appearance betraying his kind eyes and heart.
And so the boy told him of his worries, of how he already missed his father, of how he felt empty, of the worry he felt for his family's finical situation, and about how he feared not being able to by a ring for her once the funeral was over.
"There are many lessons to learn in life, and I find that none of them apply to more than one person. Each person walks a way with a different experience, a different perspective, if only slightly, from every situation. You're a kind person, and have a kind heart. You didn't get to were you were today by letting the flow push you along - you used it to help aid you, but you always controlled your course, and nothing will be different here. If there is some rough waters ahead, you'll brave them, and come out fine. If the sadness wells up inside you...well, from what you tell me, you have a family and a women who rely on you to support them emotionally, and I think they'd be more than willing to do the same for you, if you'd only let them.
"No sir, I have no doubt that you'll pull through this. The loss of a parent is a trying experience for any family...but it usually brings the surviving members that much closer together. This is a case were I don't see anything otherwise happening."
The sadness and emptiness lingered, but something else was now residing in his chest...He could feel the truth in the man's words. "Thank you. I guess I needed some kind of condolence - someone to lean on, but my stupid pride kept me from confiding in those close to me...But, tell me, why did you decide to come listen to me? A young man crying on a bench? When you - please, I mean no offense - have other things to worry about?" the boy asked.
The man smiled, his eyes with a soft sparkle, "I often find that the world is in to much of a rush. Everyone has a story, and everyone has a problem. Many feel that they are on their own, when they are not. I find...all it takes, is a moment of courtesy, a moment to hear out my fellow man. The least I can do is lend my ear." And with that, and a pat on the boy's shoulder, the man stood, and left.
"A moment of courtesy...?" the boy repeated, as he sat the for a moment. Then he stood quickly, and ran down the path the direction the man headed. But, as he rounded the corner, the crowd was there, and man was no where to be found.
A soft chirp caught his attention.
"Hullo? Yeah, it's me...Yeah, I know, I'm sorry...Yeah, I'll be heading out that way this weekend...Thanks...I know...Thanks hun...I love you.. Bye."
Two years previous to that day, a man with raven locks and a ragged appearance sat on the side of the road, neglected this Christmas Eve. A pair of legs stopped in front of him, apparently not part of the mindless droning in front of him - it was a young man, obviously a young college student, wrapped up for the cold weather.
"Hey, you alright? You look freezing," said the boy, as he offered his hand to let the man up.
"I'm okay. You'd best get back to your family," the man said, brushing the dust off himself.
"Nonsense, I'll have plenty of time. You know what? Come one, let's grab a warm bite to eat. Here, take my coat - no keep it. I won't needed. What's a bit of my time anyway? I'm no one that you don't deserve a moment of courtesy - I won't let a man just freeze on the street."
And so the man and boy walked into a small cafe, a moment of kindness blazing in a cold world.
People often think they are all alone, and that no one understands or cares about them. Let's prove them wrong.
Often, all it takes is a moment of courtesy.
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for the last few days. Hopefully it'll let me get over my writer's block...Comment if you feel like it. It was written mainly because I felt like it. Nothing serious.
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~*A Moment of Courtesy*~
The powder shone brilliantly, yet modestly, as it fell from the heavens and dusted those below who bustled to and fro.
Lost in the thriving crowds, he was more lost in his own thoughts. He'd been with her for nearly two years, and had yet to work up the courage to ask for her hand in marriage - he knew she was only waiting on him to ask. Yet...They were both still in college - he, trying for his Master's Degree in Geo-technical Engineering, and she was attending Medical School, though on the same, diverse campus. She had been by his side for longer than he could remember - their families had been close friends for generations. He found it amazing that no one had married between the families yet.
But, as the world would have it, it seemed it was not meant to be. His father had just passed away, and he was having to return home for the funeral within the week, and he had also volunteered to help pay for funeral cost with his life savings and by pulling out a student loan. His family had never had much money. They weren't poor, per say, but they did not live a life of luxury - he was attending college on a large scholarship he had won.
Now he was broke, heartbroken at the loss of his father, and without the money he was going to use for an engagement ring to present to her upon their graduation.
Such a lovely Christmas this was turning out to be.
A sharp chirp brought him from the recess of his mind - a message from her. He was tempted to open it, to confide in her as they had done over the years, but something was keeping him from doing so. Was it some kind of male pride, intent on not letting her see him in his distraught state? No, it wasn't that.... Then what?
An emptiness seemed to be inside him, one that was not present before. Was this what it was like to lose someone you loved? To know that they'd never be there again? To know he'd never see his face spread into a hearty grin as he saw his own son walk in for Christmas dinner, attending school three-thousand miles away?
Oh, they had their squabbles, but he was his father, and he was sad to see him go.
"I just need something to take the edge off....," he said, as he turned to the crowd, in hopes of losing himself.
Should he? The crowd was such a mindless, unfeeling swarm...unaware and apathetic to the cares and woes of those around them, concerned with only their own wants and needs. Did he want to be like that? Would giving in to the mindless, cold buzz take away this ache?
And for a time, he let it overwhelm him to see.
The whoosh of crashing water brought him, once again, to this world. He had broken away from the crowd and had, in a blank state, wandered to his favorite place on campus - a small park built in memorial of students who had long since passed away, in a shooting at the college decades earlier. Oddly, it was a peaceful place, and the birch tree and running water was a serene setting, especially in the spring. Never once did it seem like a mournful place, only one of peaceful serenity.
And so he took his favorite spot, upon his favorite bench, and wept.
"Why, son, are you alright?"
He looked up. A man, in tattered garment, stood before him, a look of true concern on his face. His face was grizzled and worn - he'd seen the cold of the nighttime streets many a time -, his face was framed by slick, stark raven hair that fell to his shoulders, and accented by the a grizzly facial hair that grew after a few weeks without consulting a razor.
He shook his head, his voice lost.
"Why don't you tell me what's wrong," the man said, taking a seat beside him.
"I...My...My father just passed away," he said, his voice a harsh croak, fighting the lump in his throat. He couldn't confide in her, yet was willing to open up to a stranger? What was wrong with him?
"Ah, I see...I'm sorry, my friend. That's always a rough time in your life. Anything I can do to help? Even if it's just to listen, a moment of my time is nothing if it helps ease your troubles," the man said, his grizzled appearance betraying his kind eyes and heart.
And so the boy told him of his worries, of how he already missed his father, of how he felt empty, of the worry he felt for his family's finical situation, and about how he feared not being able to by a ring for her once the funeral was over.
"There are many lessons to learn in life, and I find that none of them apply to more than one person. Each person walks a way with a different experience, a different perspective, if only slightly, from every situation. You're a kind person, and have a kind heart. You didn't get to were you were today by letting the flow push you along - you used it to help aid you, but you always controlled your course, and nothing will be different here. If there is some rough waters ahead, you'll brave them, and come out fine. If the sadness wells up inside you...well, from what you tell me, you have a family and a women who rely on you to support them emotionally, and I think they'd be more than willing to do the same for you, if you'd only let them.
"No sir, I have no doubt that you'll pull through this. The loss of a parent is a trying experience for any family...but it usually brings the surviving members that much closer together. This is a case were I don't see anything otherwise happening."
The sadness and emptiness lingered, but something else was now residing in his chest...He could feel the truth in the man's words. "Thank you. I guess I needed some kind of condolence - someone to lean on, but my stupid pride kept me from confiding in those close to me...But, tell me, why did you decide to come listen to me? A young man crying on a bench? When you - please, I mean no offense - have other things to worry about?" the boy asked.
The man smiled, his eyes with a soft sparkle, "I often find that the world is in to much of a rush. Everyone has a story, and everyone has a problem. Many feel that they are on their own, when they are not. I find...all it takes, is a moment of courtesy, a moment to hear out my fellow man. The least I can do is lend my ear." And with that, and a pat on the boy's shoulder, the man stood, and left.
"A moment of courtesy...?" the boy repeated, as he sat the for a moment. Then he stood quickly, and ran down the path the direction the man headed. But, as he rounded the corner, the crowd was there, and man was no where to be found.
A soft chirp caught his attention.
"Hullo? Yeah, it's me...Yeah, I know, I'm sorry...Yeah, I'll be heading out that way this weekend...Thanks...I know...Thanks hun...I love you.. Bye."
***
Two years previous to that day, a man with raven locks and a ragged appearance sat on the side of the road, neglected this Christmas Eve. A pair of legs stopped in front of him, apparently not part of the mindless droning in front of him - it was a young man, obviously a young college student, wrapped up for the cold weather.
"Hey, you alright? You look freezing," said the boy, as he offered his hand to let the man up.
"I'm okay. You'd best get back to your family," the man said, brushing the dust off himself.
"Nonsense, I'll have plenty of time. You know what? Come one, let's grab a warm bite to eat. Here, take my coat - no keep it. I won't needed. What's a bit of my time anyway? I'm no one that you don't deserve a moment of courtesy - I won't let a man just freeze on the street."
And so the man and boy walked into a small cafe, a moment of kindness blazing in a cold world.
***
People often think they are all alone, and that no one understands or cares about them. Let's prove them wrong.
Often, all it takes is a moment of courtesy.