The Storyteller | Mary Vee

There are times when storms throw us off course.  I joined the gang of fallen hikers.  Not in the woods, or on the backroads. It happened 1/3 mile from home. The paved road portion. Where the black ice hides. Black ice forms when snow mostly melts followed by a freeze. Often snow will fall after the freeze, hiding the thin layer of very slippery ice. Boom. Naturally, I did the wrong thing by bracing for impact with my arm. My hands stretched out and took the force, breaking the distal radial bone. Smashed would be a better word. The surgeon was impressed. He put in plates and screws forming the letter "T" on the Xray. Look for a character in a future story of mine with a broken arm. I know now how to paint it realistically. :) When these storms come, though, I have found it very helpful to think of what is true, what is honest, what is just, what is pure, what is lovely, what is of good report, those things that have virtue and praise. Then I remembe...

Marksburg Castle, Rhine River Photo by Mary Vee Last week, a friend of mine mourned on the anniversary her brother took his life. He was in pain. Physical pain. Emotional pain. And chose to solve the problem.  He was young. A teen. So much yet for him to live. So much to look forward to. But he didn't see it. Or Feel It. What he felt was pain. If only he truly understood how much his family loved him. How much they would sacrifice to help him...if they had only known his thoughts, the moment before the decision. A very different story happened this weekend, A weight lifter heard a crash outside his gym as.he turned off the lights for the night. He opened the door. Two cars had collided near his business. One man lay trapped against a signpost and under the weight of his car. Four people pushed, endeavoring to lift the vehicle and free the man, but the SUV weighed too much.  The weight lifter rushed to the scene wanting to help. He reached through the broke...

Photo by Mary Vee The power is out. Day three. I am thankful for the fleet of electrical power workers who are out in the wind and ice storm that is attacking our area.  On our backwoods American road, trees are down, a power line fell and ignited the road, and the power is out in our community. Temperatures are expected to drop throughout the day. At this time we are experiencing a whiteout (when cloud and snow on the ground meet and prevent visibility). Repair men and women are braving the elements to restore our power along with the power for thousands of others in the north.  Fleets of electric repair vehicles park at fire stations where crews change shifts and hopefully get something warm to drink. Photo b Mary Vee Perhaps the task wouldn't be as difficult if once the repair was finished, the restored area could be checked off the list. But ice ladened trees or their heavy branches continue to fall on power lines. It's like a whack-a-mo...