A Rose for Noralee
It
was Sunday afternoon when 16-year-old Noralee was stomping around in the living
room. “It’s two day’s before
Valentine’s Day and I don’t have a valentine!” she complained.
“Honey,
you don’t even need to worry about having a valentine at your age! Trust me,
you will be pushing guys away by the time you are in college,” said Noralee’s
mom.
“But
I’m the only one who doesn’t have one! Jane is going to the Heart to Heart Bash with Eric and Ella
is going with Dan! I don’t have anybody to go with! I’ll be like one of the
outsiders!”
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The
next day Noralee got up at 7:00 a.m. and got ready for school. When she got
downstairs her mom had already laid out some chocolate chip waffles for her
with milk. As soon as she gobbled up the waffles, she walked to Cannon Beach
Academy on a mission to find a date for the Heart
to Heart Bash.
After
class when Noralee had a break she started asking guys if any of them were
going to the Bash, all of them said
no and all for very good reasons. Feeling discouraged she went to all her
classes for the day having no hope about anything. At lunch she sat with Jane and Ella and they talked about
the dance. “I am so excited that
I’m going with Eric!” squealed Ella. “I had waited since junior high for this
moment!”
“So
Noralee, have you found a date?” Jane asked curiously.
“No.
Nobody even cares that I am dying of loneliness here! Everybody I asked was
either too shy or had other things going on. Ugh! I can’t believe you guys have
somebody and I don’t!” snapped Noralee.
Ella
and Jane sighed thinking about their dates, “Hey, why don’t you just go by
yourself! People do it all the time! You could dance with us! Besides, you are
too awesome to go with anybody!” suggested Ella.
“I
don’t know, if I don’t get a date by tomorrow I might as well not go at all, it
would be too humiliating.” Noralee whined.
“Just
think about it, okay?” Jane said.
“Okay,
well I have to get back to class. See ya guys!” moaned Noralee.
The
rest of the day Noralee went from class after class in a pitiful, sad mood.
After
school Noralee walked home dispirited, thinking about how she now had no date
to the Heart to Heart Bash; not even
noticing the beautiful sunset.
When
Noralee got home, she dumped her bag by the door and jumped on the couch. As she
put on the T.V. she was thinking about how today was the worst day in the
world. As she watched T.V. she noticed that there was a commercial about the
drought in Africa and that children were starving, then it began to dawn on her
how stupid she was being, the kids in Africa had no clean water, no feather
down comforters, no internet, no stoves, or clean beaches, they had no two
story houses, or schools where they could meet friends, they had no dances, or
music; she had stuff one hundred times better than them and she was the one
complaining about a date. Now she felt a little humiliated, and stupid. Noralee realized she didn’t need a date
to some silly dance and she would soon have many opportunities for that. Then
she decided to take a walk and meditate.
As
Noralee went out the door she noticed that it was sunny and beautiful outside,
something rare for February. She heard birds chirping and the oak leaves
rustling. As she walked around her neighborhood she admired all the greenery
and mountains. “Living at Cannon Beach, Oregon is the best thing ever! There
are tons of trees and fresh fruit, I get both Mountains and Beach!” she
thought. After about thirty minutes of walking around she decided it was time
to go home.
Once
Noralee got home, she looked at her house, it was gorgeous! It was a 2-story house with 4 humongous
bedrooms, 4 big bathrooms, and a pool overlooking the beach! “What more could I
have asked for!” she shouted.
When
she got inside she could smell the delicious aroma of chicken potpie, her
favorite meal. “Mom! You made chicken potpie! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
she rushed into the kitchen and hugged her mom!
“Oh
my goodness! Its as if I don’t feed you child!” teased her mother Alice.
“I’m
guessing that you feel better after the walk, am I right?” her father prodded.
“Yes,
I just was realizing how blessed I am. I have a gorgeous house; I live in a
beautiful vacation spot! And mom, I have food to eat not like so many kids in
Africa. I love it here!” Noralee exclaimed.
“I
am glad to hear you are happier Honey, now lets eat!” her mother said after
finishing setting the table with floral patterned plates.
Over
dinner, Noralee’s dad noticed she was quiet and said “Hey darling, your being
awfully quiet, how was your search for a date today?”
“It
was awful, nobody cooperated with me and wouldn’t talk about it, but that
doesn’t matter anymore, I am better off without a date, I am just thankful that
I have everything I need. I was just thinking about how grateful I am.” said
Noralee humbly.
Both
Noralee’s parents looked at each other with eyebrows high, and then Noralee’s
mother asked, “So what are you going to do now? Are you going to stay home
tomorrow?”
“What?
No! I am going with Ella and Jane. They invited me to go with them, and I
decided that it would be very fun.”
“Well
we are glad you are going. Goodnight honey.” Noralee’s mom said.
“Goodnight!”
said Noralee after excusing herself from the table.
As
she went to bed she thanked God for everything that happened that day and went
to bed peacefully.
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* Beep, beep, beep, beep! *
The alarm blasted in Noralee’s ear. Noralee jumped up from bed and
smacked the alarm. As she got ready for the school and the dance, she put on
her black and white chiffon dress and curled her hair. She did her makeup
modestly and then went downstairs.
On
the counter was a heart shaped waffle and a red rose. Noralee smiled and walked
to the counter. By the plate was a note that said:
Our
Dearest Noralee,
We are
so proud of you for noticing that you don’t need a date even if other people
have one and for being thankful for what you have.
We
Love You Very Much!
Happy
Valentines Day!
Yours
truly,
Dad
and Mom
P.S.
Have fun at the dance!
