Strength of Jacob - story of healing

        Of short stories I have written, this is one of my favorites. On the eve of Winter Solstice and holiday celebration the story seems fitting too send out.

                                                    

Strength of Jacob

Come hither child a story awaits you of being seen in the light of another set of eyes. To take you down this path, close your eyes imagining beauty, which brings joy sending your spirit into flight. Hold this feeling to your heart space and journey now. 

In a time long ago as some might think, a very young child became very sad, his life took on the vision of darkness in the space of joy he only knew of life. We will call him Jacob. On one particular day, Jacob awoke to find his mother’s chair empty sitting by the fire. Jacob always greeted mother at the start of day by climbing alongside her in the chair. She would brush his hair back then tickle his nose until he smiled. Jacob’s first smile would bring her face close to him for a morning kiss. As she tenderly kissed his cheek, he would soak into his senses the scent of his mother. The sweetness of her fresh skin with a hint of her clothes as the sweet smell of molasses making him hunger for breakfast which Mother always prepared before he woke. 

This morning, the chair was empty and the only smell was of the cold-burnt wood in the fireplace. Her morning candle on the table next to the chair was not lit and a stilling chill in the air. Jacob felt a rush of fear come over him with mother no-where to be seen, he choked on tears now filling his soft brown eyes. All alone without anyone to care for him, Jacob tried to cry out and only silence returned to him. 

“Where are you Mother?” Jacob sobbed in his loneliness “I am much too small to be alone, come to me mother!” As he sat wishing for her return to a morning of love, a voice spoke to him. “Jacob” the voice said “this morning your mother needs your help to bring her home. When she awoke this morning, going for wood to warm a morning fire she became pinned beneath collapsing logs from the pile. Follow my voice Jacob; I will take you to your mother.”

Jacob opened the door as the voice started to sing, listening as he walked to the pile of wood. Circling the pile until seeing his mother, her leg trapped beneath the logs. The light of this winter morning touched his mother’s face showing her cold skin, which appeared darker than usual.

“Jacob” he heard the voice say “time is short and you will need to move your mother.”

“I am too small, how can I possibly move her? I am scared, what shall I do?” Jacob said as he felt a fear for his mother. 

“Jacob, you are only small in stature, you are mighty from within. Choose your inner strength and I will help you” the voice then replied. Jacob wiped his tears away and closed his eyes saying, “Oh lord, if you will just give me the strength to do this for mother, I will always be strong for you.” As he held unto the first log, he once again closed his eyes saving all strength from within to move the log. As he did, the log became weightless to move. In his amazement, he repeated this for all the logs covering his mother’s leg. Now her leg was free, yet she was so blue and the fear returned. 

“Jacob” the voice said again “put your hand over her heart and I will assist you.” Jacob knelt down next to mother and said “lord, if you can help my small hand warm mother’s heart, I will always use my hands for you.” Jacob then closed his eyes to pull on his inner strength as he had done with her leg. Kneeling in the cold, he could feel his hand becoming warmer and warmer, peeking with one eye at his mother, and seeing the skin on her face changing color now he opened both eyes and screamed “MOTHER!” He could see her mouth twitch then her eyes as color returned to her flesh. “Wake up mother! Wake up! Looking again, Jacob saw her eyes open looking at him smiling. 

“Mother” Jacob said, “A voice has been helping me move the logs off your leg and warm your heart.”

“I know Jacob” mother said, “When the logs fell I could not move, winter cold sent me to the voice. I pleaded with him to allow a return, to care for you. The voice told me, we would return together and assisted you until my heart was warm again, and then I returned also to care for you.” 

“Jacob” said the voice “today you have awakened your inner strength and used the warmth of your hands with a promise you always will, as you pleaded to me this morning for assistance. Carry that promise through life Jacob and I will always assist you.” Jacob’s face lit with joy, then turned serious “I am so small, how will I take mother back to the house and warm a fire?” he asked. 

“The fire is already glowing Jacob and mother shall walk to the house with my assist” the voice said as mother stood with her leg restored and undamaged. “It’s a miracle!” shouted Jacob as he smiled. “Life is the miracle Jacob, as today I only assist. Take care of your mother, all your days and I promise you my assistance as the promises you made today are kept.”

Jacob kept his promise, as new neighbors and a town filled the land around them, Jacob became a doctor, fulfilling his promise, and only with one assistant, he met on a cold winter morning as a small child. 

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