The young mother set her foot on the pathway of life. “Is the way long?” she asked. Her guide said, “Yes, and the way is hard. You will be old before you reach the end of it, but the end is better than the beginning.”
But the young mother was so happy that she could not believe that anything would be lovelier than these years. So she played with her children, gathered flowers for them along the way, bathed with them in the crystal streams and the sun shone on them and life was good. The young mother said, “Oh, surely, nothing will ever be better than this.”
Then the night came and with it the storm. The children trembled with cold and fear, but the mother gathered them close and covered them with her mantle. The children said, “We are not afraid, Mother, for you are here and no harm can come.” And the mother said, “This is better than the brightness of the day for I have taught my children courage.” The morning came and the storm went. There was a steep hill ahead and the children climbed and grew weary and the mother found herself weary as well. But at all times she told them, “A little patience and we will be there.” So the children climbed and when they reached the top they said, “We never could have done it without you, Mother.” And the mother, when she laid down to rest that night, looked up at the stars, and said, “This is a better day than the last one for my children have found fortitude in the face of hardship. Yesterday I gave them courage, today I have given them strength.”
And another day came and strange clouds darkened the sky. Clouds of war and hate and evil, and the way was rough and dark. The children groped and stumbled but the mother said, “Look up, lift your eyes to the light.” And they looked and saw beyond the clouds an Everlasting Glory. It guided them and brought them beyond the darkness. That night the mother said, “This is the best day of all for I have shown my children God.”
The days, weeks, months and years went on. The mother grew old and became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong and walked with courage. When the way was rough, they lifted her for she was as light as a feather.
At last they came to a hill and beyond the hill was a shinning road with golden gates at the end, flung wide open. The mother said, “I have come to the end of my journey and now I know that the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone and their children after them.” The children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother – even after you have passed through the gates.” And they stood and watched their mother as she went on alone and the gates closed after her.
And they said, “We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory, she is a living Presence.” -- Author unknown
But the young mother was so happy that she could not believe that anything would be lovelier than these years. So she played with her children, gathered flowers for them along the way, bathed with them in the crystal streams and the sun shone on them and life was good. The young mother said, “Oh, surely, nothing will ever be better than this.”
Then the night came and with it the storm. The children trembled with cold and fear, but the mother gathered them close and covered them with her mantle. The children said, “We are not afraid, Mother, for you are here and no harm can come.” And the mother said, “This is better than the brightness of the day for I have taught my children courage.” The morning came and the storm went. There was a steep hill ahead and the children climbed and grew weary and the mother found herself weary as well. But at all times she told them, “A little patience and we will be there.” So the children climbed and when they reached the top they said, “We never could have done it without you, Mother.” And the mother, when she laid down to rest that night, looked up at the stars, and said, “This is a better day than the last one for my children have found fortitude in the face of hardship. Yesterday I gave them courage, today I have given them strength.”
And another day came and strange clouds darkened the sky. Clouds of war and hate and evil, and the way was rough and dark. The children groped and stumbled but the mother said, “Look up, lift your eyes to the light.” And they looked and saw beyond the clouds an Everlasting Glory. It guided them and brought them beyond the darkness. That night the mother said, “This is the best day of all for I have shown my children God.”
The days, weeks, months and years went on. The mother grew old and became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong and walked with courage. When the way was rough, they lifted her for she was as light as a feather.
At last they came to a hill and beyond the hill was a shinning road with golden gates at the end, flung wide open. The mother said, “I have come to the end of my journey and now I know that the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone and their children after them.” The children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother – even after you have passed through the gates.” And they stood and watched their mother as she went on alone and the gates closed after her.
And they said, “We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory, she is a living Presence.” -- Author unknown
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