Bells

The bells calling the villagers to the fair sounded so joyful. It was hard to ignore the festive sound. In my mind’s eye I could see Johnathan pulling on the ropes in the bell tower.

Johnathan was born with Down’s syndrome but had always been an adventurous child. He was fascinated by the sound of the bells. Father Mullany watched him with  interest. When Johnathan was eight years old the father offered to teach him bell ringing. This would be the youngest person that Father had ever trained. He was also a bit worried that it might be too much for a child with Down’s syndrome.

Johnathan excitedly pulled his mother to the church on the afternoon of his first lesson. Father Mullany had arranged a table with a set of hand bells. Johnathan proudly counted them and turned to smile at his mother.

“Mom there are 8 bells. Father why are these bells so small? Are the ones in the tower this small?”

“No, Johnathan, The bells in the tower are very big and heavy so we always start off with a set of hand bells.”

Johnathan’s mom sat at the back of the church and watched the lesson. At the end of an hour, Father Mullany drew the lesson to a close.

“Johnathan we need to stop now. You have been one of the best pupils I have ever had. No one else has been able to play a tune at the end of an hour.”

Johnathan beamed. It wasn’t often that he was the best in anything.

“But can’t we do more?” he asked.

“Sorry Johnathan but I have to get ready for another appointment. Let’s plan when we can have our next lesson.”

Johnathan’s mom choked back the tears as she came forward to fetch him.

“He has got a wonderful knack,” said Father Mullany. “He has learnt so fast!”

Jonathan face was split by the biggest smile that his mom had ever seen.

Very soon he was ready to take his place with the bell ringing society. But the bells in the tower still fascinated him.

“You need to be very strong to handle those bells,” said Father Mullany.

“Why?” asked Johnathan.

“Because the bells are very heavy and you have to have strong arms and shoulders.”

“Okay. I’ll get strong,” replied Johnathan.

When Johnathan got home he asked his father to help him get stronger. Together they searched the internet for exercises. It soon became their special time, the time they spent together gathering tips and developing their shoulders and arms. Equipment was bought when they could afford it and finally when Johnathan turned thirteen he presented himself to Father Mullany. Together they climbed the stairs to the top of the bell tower and Father Mullany strapped noise mufflers onto Johnathan’s head and then put his own on. Johnathan tried the biggest bell and was thrilled when it produced a deep rolling tone. He skipped over to the next bell and then the next. He was in his element. He managed three of the bells but could not handle the other two as well. Father Mullany laughed at his disappointed face and told him that if he wanted to play tunes with these bells he needed to get some help. So together they pulled and released bells until they had a lovely harmony going.

Johnathan quickly became adept and proudly took his place as an official campanologist for the church.

 

A 2020 Christmas

Penny kneeled on the seat in the bay window of her lounge. Her elbows were propped up on the back rest of the seat and her chin rested in her hands as she stared outside with virtually unseeing eyes.

She was missing her dad so much and she could see that her mom missed him as well. She didn’t understand the situation. She was only eight years old. Her thoughts thundered in her mind as she grappled with the facts. Daddy was a plastic surgeon and every year, at the end of February he would join something called Doctors and borders or something. Daddy had told her that he was needed in other places and God wanted him to help people who had no doctors near them. Again this was something that seemed strange to her. There were doctors all over -near her home and near her school.

Then something called lock down happened and mommy had told her there was a horrible sickness that could really hurt Granny and Gramps so they all had to stay inside. Mommy also told her that daddy wouldn’t be able to come home just yet because South Africa had closed down and were not allowing people to come in even if their homes were in South Africa.

Every Sunday at 3 o’clock Daddy would come in on the computer and they could chat. It was lovely - almost, but not quite, as if he was  actually there. As the days, weeks, months went by she settled into the “at home” routine waiting patiently for three o’clock every Sunday afternoon.

One Sunday as they were talking she heard some loud bangs in the background and she asked “Why are they letting off fireworks Daddy? Is it Diwali?”

“No,” said daddy, “Some people just like big noises.”

But she noticed her mother looked worried as she asked “When are you coming home?”

“Children are getting hurt,” said Daddy. “They have asked us to stay behind and help them.”

And so the days, weeks and months continued to fly by. It was now December and Christmas was close. Penny was sad that her daddy still was not home. Every night she prayed that God would keep daddy safe and would bring him home.

One Saturday night as her mom tucked her in and said goodnight, Penny said “Tomorrow is Sunday and we can talk to Daddy.”

She snuggled up to her bear and her eyes grew heavy and she slept.

As the morning sun crept into her room she lazily stretched and felt a sliver of excitement creep over her. Sunday! We can talk to Daddy. She grabbed her teddy and made her way to the kitchen. She stared, scrunched up her eyes, opened them again and yes he was there, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. Penny launched herself at him screaming “Daddy! You are home! You are here for Christmas!”

Coffee and mug spewed over the kitchen floor as Daddy grabbed her in an almost bear-like hug.

© Vera Alexander

 

Random Nonsensical Right Brain Thoughts

I didn’t realise that you could smell sunlight. Suddenly today the realisation hit. We all know that we can smell rain but sunshine??? No way! Yes way!

As I walked in the garden I was aware that everything smelt different, better than it did yesterday when it was raining. I was also aware that everything was clearer, but I have known that my whole life. I was now enamoured with the fact that I was smelling sunlight.

So what words can I use that will help you smell sunlight? It smells clean. It smells fresh and the light reflecting from surfaces smells like pine and yet there are no pine trees anywhere around.

It is a smell that makes me want to run around touching plants, touching surfaces.

Sunlight – it brings light. It brings brightness. It brings positivity. It brings hope.

And it brings its own clear, fresh smell.