Afterthoughts

     Pat Westbrook      I've never been afraid of living in the country.  Even the times the children and I found ourselves alone at night, I felt safe.  The night my husband went on a hunting trip, everything at home seemed normal.      My two boys needed to go to the bathroom.  Since we had yet to put one in, I gave them a flashlight to see their way to the outhouse.  I told them I would wait for them on the porch so they wouldn't be afraid.      For some reason I looked over at the garage.  Now our garage happened to be made of used sheet metal.  Many a nail had been driven into it making it easy for the wind to blow right through.  Just as I looked, I saw a flicker of light. I assumed someone lit a cigarette.      Like a mother bear ready to protect her young, I went back into the house and got my husband's twenty two pistol.  Seconds later I returned and hollered....

     In the sixties my family moved to the country in Milam County,Texas. In front of our house, cars traveled on highway seventy nine and trains traveling on the other side of the highway broke the silence of each day.        One morning while doing the dishes, my daughter tugged at my skirt.  With her wide eyes looking up at me, she said, "Mom, there's a man outside and he's hungry."  I looked out the living room window and saw two of my boys sitting on the grass, outside our fence, with a strange man. He looked like a hobo that had jumped off a boxcar from the train.  As quick as I could, I prepared four peanut butter and jelly sandwiches one for each of them. After wrapping  the sandwiches in wax paper, I gave them to my daughter. She smiled then ran outside.  I watched as the four ate their meager meal.  When they finished, the children waved at the man as he walked away.  A Child's Compassion C...

Beth Griffin         It's hard to lose a friend to death.  The grief stings daily deep within the soul.  When my best friend of fifty years went to heaven, I lost the only person that knew all my secrets. She loved me for being me.  When I had a problem and went to her for advice, she knew just what I should do. With her sharp mind and quick wit, she would advise me on what to say if someone hurt my feelings.  Several times I told her I would like to put her in my pocket so she could be there to talk for me. During our friendship, we went through times of visiting in person and times of being phone friends.  The love of friendship lived in both our hearts, and oh how I miss her. Goodbye My Friend What fun we had dear friend  while you walked this earth. I know you enjoyed your time  here ever since your birth. You laughed and cried living life as best you could. The hardest part you told me is living...