My First Remembered Prayer

My First Remembered Prayer

It was in May, the month before my brother was to be born. I was 14 almost 15 months old and the first child and only girl for my parents. My grandfather had taken mom and me to his sister's farm to help there. Mom was in the farmhouse with my great-aunts cooking and doing various chores. I wandered off to my favorite safe place on a rock beside a babbling creek in between 2 wooded hills. The sun and the breeze danced with the trees to make dappled dancing shadows and light. A black snake sat beside me on the rock, taking in the warmth of the spring sunshine that sometimes managed to shine down on the rock.

Then that living Light that I had loved since I was born was there, dancing all around. The water in the creek, the trees, the rocks, the birds, the snake... everything was alive and singing and dancing before my eyes and heart. I felt like warm, sweet, electrified, tingling, living honey was flowing through me. I knew this Being's Name... Love... The All That Is... God.

My heart heard the question, "what would you most want, Daphne?" I smiled with delight and without hesistation said, "I want a real smile, real tears, real laugh... I want to be Love. I want to be just like You."

And so was my heart's desire all my life. Every time I meet the Living Light, I fall in love with Love again and want to be just like Love... to be Love... to be a beckoning sign for others also to fall in love with the Great Love.

 

(C.) Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 8 February 2010.

My Shark Story

My Shark Story

We were in a more or less beach-front home on the South China Sea in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia at the time. Our son would have been 3, I think.

It was just before sundown, and we all (hubby, our cousin Hurai, son, me, and our Japanese spitz named Junko) went wading in the shallows near the shore, watching constantly for jellyfish and other not so nice things to tangle with. That part of the sea was very treacherous to be in for other reasons, too. It was only shallow for a few 100s of yards before dropping into deep ocean. So, you had to be careful at all times.

Anyway, here I am the white giant of a person, a baby, and a dog when I felt something bump my leg.

Instinctively, I jumped up out of the water cursing enough to make even a marine sargeant blush... just as a tiger shark came up out of the water at me. My knee hit its "chin" and my elbow its nose... my fist slammed right down on its head. As I was descending, my foot got its ribs. I was screaming bloody murder the whole time... on instinct. I have been told mothers protecting their young will become fierce...

Anyway, I heard a pop. The shark gave a squeal-like sound. It fled from me. And, stupid me, started to give chase... until I felt the COLD water of deep ocean start to hit me. Then I came to my senses and said to myself to let the shark go... GET BACK TO SHORE, IDIOT.

As I re-approached the shore, I heard nieighbors and family yelling what I thought was "Shark attack." Well, as I got closer I realized they were yelling, "Shark being attacked." They thought for sure I had gone berserk and was about to field dress the shark with my bare hands for a bar-be-que on the beach.

 

(C.) Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 13 January 2009.

My Fall From Grace

My Fall From Grace

Let me really describe my fall from grace... or how my mobility went downhill....

It was a cold and snowy morning on the hill in Frostburg where we live when I sleepily and innocently took our dog out to do her business. Everyone who had sense was still asleep, snuggled beneath warm blankets while I and the dog surveyed the 2 1/2 foot deep and still falling snow that early morn.

Standing on the back porch which sat high above the downward slope of the hill (which is called a mountain in these parts, but being shy of even 3000', many places would only call it a hill, but I digress) the house fit into, I watched the dog jumping through the drifts to find her spot. Being only in a light caftan, a light cape, and moccasins --not even stopping to put on my glasses -- I sleepily but freezingly scuffled to the pillars holding up the porch roof when a sheet of ice decided to dance with me.

Well, being a polite gal, how could I refuse someone sweeping me off my feet even before I'd brushed my hair or my teeth?! But I did nevertheless grab at a pillar and a banister to try and steady my ever increasingly rapid heartbeats.

But, alas, not being gifted acrobatically, I at the last minute attempted my very first triple lutz right over the side of the railing of the porch. Now, I admit I am a rank amateur at these things... and not the most graceful on my feet either, but would you believe the judges refused to even rate me? The nerve! I mean, it was my first and best effort at these things. Harrumph.

Anyway...

The very first thing I thought when my back hit the snow before tobogganing on down the hill was...

"If the neighbors don't have their camcorders on or are not watching right now, this is the last chance they'll get to see the flying eagle."

About 3/4 of the way downhill a kind "rock person" grabbed my head to help stop my forward motion. I think it was a really big rock person. I don't really remember that part. hmmm.

Somehow after all that I managed to crawl back up the hill, up the stairs to the porch, and back to bed where I stayed for a very long time until hubby finally realized something really bad had happened and that I probably needed medical attention... Being the stubborn wench I can be, I told him, I'll be fine in a decade or so and just went to sleep. Of course, a few months later, the doctor scolded me for not going to the ER immediately... and for moving after the fall.

Well, it was snowing hard that morning and somewhat cold, and I had not had enough sleep yet. So there.

And so my saga continues..... if you can stand any more episodes. LOL

(C.) Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 15 January 2009.