The Miracle Of A Spring Day

Marie Toomey gazed out her bedroom window, admiring the beauty of a perfect Spring day. All the spring animals were out and about. Bees and other insects making their daily rounds as well. Flowers were in bloom to provide for those insects. All seemed perfect, on the outside. How unfair, she thought. Those animals and insects and all other creatures of the earth seem to not have a care in the world. Had they ever had a broken heart? Had they ever cried over a loved one? If they had, they sure didn't show it. Marie longed to move on from her pain the same way.

Two years ago her mother left town with a truck driver and her father was currently serving a two year prison sentence for robbery to support his drug habit. Marie was living with her father's mother, Teresa Toomey who had sole custody of her since her parents gave up their parental rights. Marie's life had been a hectic one, that's for sure. She was raised mostly by her mother in the beginning and a little by her father. Her parents had separated when she was only about two years old. Her mother would have two more children by a different man, Melissa and Mark. Marie loved them very much. But heated fights and drinking would cause Marie to have to live with her father and his girlfriend, somewhat separating her from her brother and sister. Her father who had suffered a knee injury in an accident, would turn to heroin to ease his pain and eventually lose himself to it all together. Marie's mother had enough of her so called miserable life and left town while Marie's father became so desperate for drugs, he was willing to shop lift for money.

Marie, abandoned by both her parents, was also cut off from her brother and sister as their father didn't want anything to do with Marie's mother's family. All of this tragedy to a girl not even the age of ten. Marie's mother had tried to make contact and spoke with her frequently, even visited every now and then. She would visit her father in prison and talked with him over the phone. And on the outside, it all seemed fine. It seemed as if she were okay. But what truly happens to a child's soul, to their spirit, when they lose the ones they love the most. Death is certain and can bring closure. But knowing your parents are living, that they choose not to be with you, what misery it must cause? What confusion and heartbreak?

And so, Marie gazes out her bedroom window, admiring the beauty of a perfect Spring day, pondering all that she has endured in her short life. What will become of her, her family wonders. She hears their concerns, but can't give them an answer as she herself is unsure. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath and exhales. As she opens her eyes, the birds and bees and all the carelessness outside gives her the answer. She will move on. She will heal. She will forgive. She will be strong and do what she has to do to provide for her own family one day. She will be graceful. She will be beautiful. She will never, ever be like her parents. She will learn from them. She will love and be loved. She will be whole again. She will make right choices for the ones she loves. She will put others before herself. She will be happy. Smiling, her heart feels lighter and her mind is clearer. All her cares and worries seemed to have vanished.

Marie reminds herself to do one thing before she goes to bed tonight. She reminds herself to pray. To pray for all the children who won't know how to move on from hurt and pain. To pray for children who go through much worse than she will ever know and who will grow up damaged because of it. She prays that God will protect all of the innocence that is being stolen from little girls and boys everyday. And she finally prays that one day we will have an understanding as to why some of us have to go through such things. Finally, she thanks God for his miracles and falls into a peaceful sleep, knowing tomorrow she will wake up to a new, beautiful, renewed Spring day.