My Dad was always strict regarding good manners and especially being thankful for blessings. Good manners demonstrated respect for human life and table manners demonstrated our gratitude for precious food.
Dad was born in Appalachian poverty during the 1930's, and very offended when I didn't want to eat what was on my plate or using slang to describe another culture group. In our Wesleyan holiness home, slang idioms were never tolerated especially referring to people. The 1960's social awareness not only brought awaking respect for human life, but new television technology in every home brought mature, ethnic humor that Mom and Dad strictly taught against.
One summer we visited Dad's childhood Appalachian home, and I saw the house where he was born and the movie theater he lived, ate and worked as a child.
Across the street was a laundromat and an elderly, African-American lady was waiting on a bench outside looking at newspaper sales advertisements. Dad introduced her and told me she and her husband lived in a small one-room cabin by the river and fed him fish when he was little. They never had children but showed him kindness.
Dad's lesson was fully understood when he saw me catching lighting bugs in a jar and said, "Oh no, I am so glad I'm not one of those bugs." I learned in that second that we all are shining ones created and loved perfectly by God.
Immediately the Lampyridae, or shining ones (1), were set free and the jar was thrown in the trash, and I never again had any thought of catching any living thing. I tried fishing only to pity the precious little bait and poor fish. I tend to prefer vegetables and try to eat only Kosher meat.
Isn't it time we all trashed the jars?
After all, we are created in the Creators image.
Humanity shines because the Creator of the universe shines.
1. https://www.dispatch.com/article/20090726/news/307269696
About Me
- Anita Mullins Brown
- From NE Ohio, lived in Appalachia for 20 years, now in Eastern NC for 20 years.
