The Strawberry Chapter 24

The Strawberry Chapter 24

More Trinkets

By Katherine Aguilar

The Strawberry will, at this point in writing, continue writing about going forward, and, at times, go back to memories of the past when I am pulling a trinket out of my trinket, which I need to share with others as I empty the trinket box which will always be share in my faith in Jesus and need to go to the manuel which is the bible to find my way. My writing may not be as defined or elevated as it should be. But this is ME.

Survey

In the previous chapter, I was asking a survey about what kind of teacher I was. I told the person I was asking that they could ask me any questions they wanted. One of the questions they asked. Was “What was one of the last nice things you did for someone?” I told them I said “hello” to someone because that person goes to work day in and day out, and nobody says anything to them. By saying hello, I acknowledge them as a human being with feelings. That they exist, and they are human, and they count as being alive. Not just a machine doing a task someone else doesn’t want to do because they may feel it is above their job grade. Well, all jobs require the same tasks. Get up, do the work, and go home. When we die. I believe God is not going to ask what job we're doing. I believe he would be asking, "What did you do to make His world more beautiful?" From dust we were created and to dust we shall return.

As mentioned in the previous chapter about being in the hospital. During my time, I reflected on the people I have met, even the nurses and doctors. I went into the hospital for one thing and got treated for something completely different. It was only at the end of the visit that they asked, “ Did my heart still hurt?” Still during my visit. The nurses and doctors would say, "Has anyone come to visit you?" I would tell them no. Family knew of me being in the hospital, but none came to see. The ones who did come to see me were my roommate's family, and they stayed a bit. Their kindness goes a long way because I am not even their family by blood. My sisters, as I mentioned in the previous chapters, knew I was in the hospital. They too knew. I didn’t expect them to fly from other countries to come and see me, but they still reached out to me. Aunts knew, but they too needed to come a long distance to see. I didn’t expect them to travel. It was the kind of people I have created as family with, who are not of blood, who show support in times of need. For that, I thank them and am grateful. I will remember that. Never underestimate the people you meet in your life; they may be the ones who remember you. When others may not.

Parable

Meeting strangers can have an impact on your life to the point where you actually remember what they're telling you at the strangest moments, and they end up in the Chapter. Ms. Stephanie, a strong woman who is up early, goes to work. Enjoys her job because it allows her to meet people and help her family. It gives her an outlet from the everyday. She ensures her family is taken care of from the grandchild on down. Knowing Ms Lucy is probably already setting up for great-grandchildren, whom she may not even see in the future. But she may be telling herself. “Not to worry, baby's Grandma got you covered.”

Every morning. Everyone is required to stop by Ms. Stephanie to sign in before entering the building. At this time, I always take a moment to talk with Ms. Stephanie. She gives me advice, and I talk about life. This particular morning, it was not long after my hospital stay that I stopped to talk with Ms. Stephanie. She told me what was popping up on the desk. The way she was telling it sounded like a parable. Or she was just telling me a story, and I was taking it to a different level. I am not sure. The story she was telling me was about one morning. She went into work, and three ants were crawling on her desk. That popped up out of nowhere, and they were now needing to be an exterminator. Ms Lucy had said they didn’t know where they came from. But they just showed up when she went into one day. The school was going to have to get an exterminator.

After she told the story.

I just came out and asked her jokingly, so am I an ant? If it shows that, it means I am being difficult because I come into work every day doing what I believe is right, and others are doing the same. Who has taken the job too seriously? Then yes, I am an ant. Or it could be like ants working together to build a strong foundation that makes things work for them. When ants all work together, they are referred to as a colony. Some colonies of ants with a stronger sting are called Army ants. Still, I'm not sure. I think I am a combination of both.

As Ms. Stephanie was telling the story, I was getting really sleepy. It wasn’t that what Ms Stephanie was telling me was boring, it was that I had already started the morning a bit tired and needed more sleep since it was soon after the hospital. As I was about to leave, I saw a teacher. I do not know his name, but I do know the message of a sign he has on his wall in his call room. It in itself comforted me. It reminded me of what I heard twenty-five years ago, and it was a loud message: “You will never be alone again, I will always be with you.” It was a loud message from God to me years ago. I have held on to it ever since. Even as I write, it moves me to tears. I drove home and went to sleep. I got up later that day to finish writing chapter twenty-three.

I am sure the parable of the ants. Wrong or backward. I am sure God has had his writers writing and rewriting my story of life because of everything I didn’t understand. I think I have caused Him to have every emotion. I believe that messages in faith have to be pretty simple for me. Because it will take me forever to get it, at this point in my life, there are pretty much two things I need to do. Write and read more of the bible. That is it. My orders are simple. I have to give Baby steps for Kathy because she will not get it any other way. Not that she will not get it. It will take her too long to get it.

I know things seem clearer for me now that I am in my fifites. I wasted a lot of my life trying to figure out which direction to go in, instead of taking the moment to actually enjoy my life.

My highlight from this chapter is that people are looking for God. Well, he has always been here. He never left us. People leave God.