Help can take on many forms. We can receive support from our closest family, parents or siblings. Another is the important helping hand that comes from our friends. No less important is God’s providence. Such help can take on the form of a witty idea that can help ease the burden of someone you love. How?
Let me tell you a story.
Seven-year-old Darinka spoke very poorly in a way that almost no one could understand. Her speaking was throaty with words often merging together. Learning to understand her was, and today still is, difficult. But not impossible. Given, of course, that there is a mutual interest of both sides. Together, Aďka and Darinka liked to go on regular walks. Aďka would play with her friends, while Darinka would quietly watch. Some of Aďka’s friends, who found Darinka’s speech disability rather silly, made fun of the way she spoke. Because of this, Aďka would often get into fights. One day, however, Aďka came up with a wily idea and, with a sneaky wink, she signaled Darinka to play along.
She announced: “Quiet, everyone! Let me tell you something about my sister, Darinka!“
She then began explaining: „Darinka was hit by a car. Since then, she can’t walk and can only speak a rare, foreign language only me, my sister Eliška, and our parents can understand. This language is very tough to learn and not anyone can understand it,“ she spoke proudly.
„It’s the Mumblian language.“
She then turned graciously towards her sister and asked: „Am I right…?“ Darinka nodded with a resolute face. Aďka used this story whenever needed. She even sometimes attempted to imitate it by making funky sounds. „Mmhmmm peepee, booboo?“ That is what she would do while the two sisters were facing each other and even used to make up intriguing hand gestures to add a bit of authenticity. For a certain amount of time, the prank fullfiled its purpose. Darinka even began to consider her disadvantage a neat trait and since looked forward to every walk that was accompanied with a theatrical amusement. An amusement which carried with it a desired purpose but also an unexpected benefit: Not only did it shrink the ridicule of Aďka‘s friends, it also caused that some have learned to understand Darinka better.
Both girls felt victorious.
Have you ever found yourself in similar moments? God gives people, end even little children, abilities and strength to face challenging life situations. He is not a killjoy and can wrap even such events in humor, satire and comicality. Furthermore, I realized that family is more than a couple of people living under one roof. Though not always ideal, family are the first people who stand up for you in tough times. Double help, great help.
