Tuesday, January 31, 2012

House for Sale

It was with a bit of hesitation that the man put up a "for sale" sign in front of his house. After all, it has only been recently vacated and there are some things he still need to do with it. "But I have to get on with my life", he thought, trying to convince himself.


It didn't take long before there were some who showed interest in the house. The owner would look at the prospective buyers, talk with them, and more often than not, he would tell them that the house was already taken. With some of them who looked like they would take good care of the house, he would allow them to peer through the windows to have a glimpse of what the inside of the house looks like. But he never let them in. He was afraid that they would remodel the place to their own taste or make it a place just for vacationing and never call it their home.


Then one day, there was someone who inquired about the house and so he let this person peer through the windows. The prospective buyer saw some cobwebs and the dust that have gathered but she also saw the sturdy architecture and the fine furnishings. As the buyer was looking through the windows, the owner felt in his heart that this is someone who will love living in this house and will be taking good care of it. For the first time, he opened the door and invited the interested person to come in and have a better look. He then pulled out the "for sale" sign from the front yard. Yet, somehow, the buyer was still hesitant to get in, perhaps fearful that she would see clutter and disarray within and thus destroy the beautiful image of the house that she had seen through the windows of her mind.


Come in, Cynthia, and make my house your home. The cobwebs will be removed and the dust will be swept away by the brightness and purity of your love.


written in late 2003

Monday, January 30, 2012

Bird in a Gilded Cage

Once there was a bird that lived in a gilded cage. This bird was so sad because his mate went to bird heaven not too long ago. So gloomy was he that the owner decided to open the door of the cage to set him free. Yet in his sorrow even when he knew the cage door has been opened, he dared not and cared not to fly out. He just sat there brooding in his unshared loneliness.


Then one day, from out the window near his cage he heard another bird singing in the branches of a tree. He listened and was enraptured by the beauty of the song. It had been a long time since he heard this song. And the more he listened the more convinced he was that the song was being sung for him. His tiny heart raced. Hesitatingly he warbled a few notes. Soon they were singing together, making such glorious melodies. He wanted to fly out of his cage to be with the other bird and yet, somehow, his wings were not strong enough to carry him through the air. He had been confined for too long that his wings had grown weak. Still the other bird sang to him every morning bringing joy to his soul. With an effort he flapped his wings with the firm determination that one day his pinions will carry him out of his cage, out of the window, up in the air and then beside the lovely bird that gave him a reason to once again soar into the blue skies.


Thank you, Cynthia, for singing to me every morning! I am still flapping my wings and they are growing stronger each day.


...written in the last few days of 2003