Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Mourn (08/01/24)
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TITLE: What's The Difference? | Previous Challenge Entry
By James Graham
08/03/24 -
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“Granny,” said Wilbur. “I is confused.”
Putting her rolling pin aside, she answered, “About what?”
“Whut’s the diffrence between mornin’s”
“Whatever are ya talkin’ about?”
“Pastor Snigglum wus talkin’ about mornin’. Everybody knows what mornin’ is. When ya wake up, it’s mornin’.”
“Wilbur, there are two kinds of mornin’s.”
“They is?” he answered with a puzzled look on his face.
“There’s the get up in the mornin’ kind, and there is the sad kind.”
“Huh?”
“How am I gonna splain it so’s he can understan’ it?” she thought.
“Wilbur, do ya 'member when old Barny up and died?”
“Uh huh! I loved that old mule. I bawled like Uncle Clarence’s milk cow when she got too close to a bumbly bee nest,” he answered.
“Do ya ‘member what ya did?” asked Granny.
“It took me three days ta dig a hole ta bury him,” he answered.
“And then whut did ya do?”
I got me a log, rolled it over to the grave, sat down, and cried over old Barny.”
“Wilbur, that’s the sad kinda mournin'. When something dear to ya dies ya mourn over it,” said Granny.
“When Uncle Nobe Stumpwhistle died we went to Snookum Flats graveyard and mourned over him. Is that the kind of mournin’ yer talkin’ about? Now, I is confused. When we sing “I will meet ya in the mornin” with a how do ya do.” Is we talkin' about goin’ to a graveyard or is we talkin’ ‘bout havin’ a reeyoonyun?” asked Wilbur.
“We’re talkin’ about two different things. The song is talkin' about gettin’ together in Heaven after we die. Mournin’ Uncle Nobe was somethin' we do ta honor the dead. Just like ya did fer old Barny. Do ya understan'.”
“I think so. Do ya reckon we’ll see Uncle Nobe in Heaven some mornin’?”
“Wilbur, that’s up ta God. I’m thinkin’ he won’t be there but I’m not makin’ the decisions. As far as I know, Uncle Nobe never set foot in a church. He always said “there ain’t no God.” I reckon he’s reapin’ whut he sowed.”
“So, why do we mourn him?”
Granny went to her chair, opened her Bible, and began to read.
“Blessed be those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 4.
“So God is gonna bless us when we mourn fer people? Is that right?”
“When we mourn, God takes away the hurtin’ ya have in yer heart. How did ya feel after mournin’ over old Barny?” asked Granny.
“I cain’t ‘splain it. Part of me still wanted to rub his ears ‘n give him corn nubbins’. And part of me wuz glad he don’t hurt no more. He wuz gettin’ almighty old. But the more I thunked about it, I felt better. “
“So, did mournin’ do ya any good?” asked Granny.
“Yes’um.”
“Now, let's try to think about Nobe in a good way,” said Granny.
“How ‘bout the time at the reeyoonyun when Uncle Tandy swapped glasses at the table. The look on Uncle Nobe’s face when he took a big swaller of whut he thunked wuz water! That ‘shine lit him up! He jumped up and hollered like I never seed anyone do before!” giggled Wilbur.
Granny began to giggle. “He took of a runnin’, jumped in Water Moccasin Crick, and almost drownded hisself!”
“When he cum up fer air, he wuz screamin’ bloody murder ‘cause a snappin’ turtle had ahold of his big toe. I thunked I was gonna bust laughin’.” giggled Wilbur.
Granny watched him giggle and stopped him.
“Wilbur, It’s always good to ‘member. But there’s a lesson to be learned here. Don’t be like yer Uncle Nobe. Make sure Jesus is in yer heart. When yer called home ta Heaven, ya want ta be 'membered fer all the good you’ve done. That’s all that matters in this here life. Do ya understan’” asked Grammy.
“I do, I surely do,” he answered. “But I can still hear Uncle Nobe screamin’ as that turtle chomped on his big toe.”
“Wilbur, at the time it was funny. But enough of this tomfoolery. You go and pray. Ask the Father to show you how to respect and mourn for people. Ya have a lotta livin’ ahead of ya. Make the best of it.”
“Yes’um.”
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