The Bench : A Thanksgiving Wake-Up

You see, I found this bench, this "special" bench, just where a bench
should be actually, in the park, on a small hill overlooking our small town.

On the right side of the bench a creek flows down into the river that cuts
through our small town, and on the left side trees with multi-colored leaves
stand fast, as if providing a shelter for whoever might partake of the
bench's offering. A small, paved walkway leads right up to the bench, and
then curiously it stops, going nowhere else, as if implying that this reststop
merits your serious consideration.

It's Autumn you know. A brisk but gentle wind blows leaves off of the trees
and tosses them here and there, even into piles. Yellow, red, and brown
here, orange, red, and brown there. Can you smell Autumn ? It's like no
other time of the year.

I'm walking up to "the bench" now. Funny . . .I feel it's been expecting me.
Slowly I sit down on its soft wood, pulling my coat tightly around me to
keep out what chill there is. I raise my head and now I can see out over
every part of our small town, the farms, the businesses, the families, the
people. My people. Your people. Our people.

I'm beginning to feel good, like before. You see my friend, I've been here
before. I always arrive spiritually weary. But this bench, this bench, makes
me feel spiritually whole again when I get up to leave. Sitting here, I
visualize how I want things to be over the Thanksgiving holiday, the hope
for family unity, the longings of loved ones to be fulfilled, the world at a
peaceful time-out. And of course, the abundant and delicious food, and the
heat emanating from the fireplace.

But I'm not going to dwell on my personal wishes right now. I'll come back
later with those. But I'd like to hear your thoughts and wishes for this
Thanksgiving. Come over here and sit down on this bench my friend. I'll
get up and go for a stroll, so you can be by yourself. Comfortable isn't it ?
Does it feel a little magical, sitting here ? You know, some say this bench
grants wishes, making them come true. Wouldn't that be something ?
So, what's on "your" mind ? Go ahead, there's nobody else around. Just
you and the bench. See you in awhile. Was that a snowflake just now ?

Okay, so I came back and you wre gone ! Don't know if the bench
worked for you or not.

Came back again today but still no visitors. You do know I'm taking my
life in my own hands every time I mosey on up through the park to see
if anyone's been here don't you ? Some punks have been watching me
closely. I hope they stay away.

I'm apprehensive about sitting on the bench and having it all to myself.

So there's nothing for Thanksgiving that's worth wishing for ?

They got me good when I came into the park today. Three of them.
Wanted all my money. ( I didn't have a dime.) Slapped me around pretty
good and kicked me a few times, but it was nothing serious. I'm making
my way towards the bench. They never follow me that far anyway. It's
getting cooler. I see light snow flurries blowing every which-a-way.

Ah, it's nice sitting here on the bench. I can feel my bruises healing, my
broken nose snapping back together as one piece, and my swollen black
eye is shrinking so rapidly that I can now see out of it again. What a view
from this bench ! I love this town of ours.

I wonder why no one's coming to sit with me. I hope they're not worried
about me bothering them. I wouldn't bother them anyway. I'd just go
for a walk and let them enjoy the bench themselves, hoping that maybe
they'll see things about Thanksgiving that I see. You know, good things.

[edit on 14-11-2008 by SIEGE]

So none of you have anything good to wish for on Thanksgiving ?

Is it because you're afraid of the bench ? It really is magical you know.
At least for me. When I sit there, I feel the complete meaning of Thank-
giving fill me to overflowing. I feel a time of joy. An appreciation for family
and food and shelter. A thankfulness to life and God. A lifting of weight off
one's shoulders.

It's snowing again.

A chipmonk has come out to join me. I feel good.

She saw him sitting on the bench and selfishly groaned inwardly. She wanted it all to herself today. The pressures of work and the constant barrage of bad news emmanating from every source of media drew her to seek out some solace today. She gripped the mace in her coat pocket...just in case. Their eyes met briefly and she could see his face was beat to hell. Her grip increased to white knuckles. He smiled back at her stare and slid over to offer the left side of the bench.

She sat wordlessly and allowed the scenery to take a big bite out of her worries. The holidays were approaching with speed as they always do and she wondered how she would juggle all on her plate. She felt thankful to even have a job to worry about given the situation many of her friends and family found themselves. Jobless, pensions on line, shrinking retirement accounts, pantrys a little more bare than usual, medical bills being ignored.....

She watched the sun create diamonds on the water and momentarily wished she had brought her son. Her son. A jewel in her heart that none in nature could ever compare. Her own little angel walking around the house disguised in Hulk pajamas. She had so much to be thankful for.

The breeze blew her hair in her eyes and the stranger began to hum a bit. It sounded familiar. Funny, she wasn't scared of him although she should have told someone where she was going. The stranger rose, took a deep breath of fresh air and said to her, "It's all yours...I'm filled up for now."

A place to gather my thoughts; what a concept! Usually my thoughts get gathered early in the morning, outside over a cup of coffee or two. So much planning goes on in my head during that time until I see that I’ve lingered too long, and then I’m rushed to get ready for work. Those seem to be the days that I try everything in my closet on before I decide on something to wear. I hate it when I do that! It makes so much work for me when I come home…hanging things back up again. Why do clothes look really wonderful on you one day, & then the next…that very same outfit is all wrong. Why?

Let me see, do I have anything to be thankful for? Yes, I have a good job while many people do not. I have a roof over my head, and food in my pantry. My children are healthy & strong. I’m very thankful that they are all grown up, not that I didn’t enjoy their younger years, I did very much! It’s just a lot easier for me now, so much easier.

I’ll come sit at this bench again. I like it here.

Ah, it was starting to happen. People were once again finding their way to
the bench. Just today two different women wandered up through the park
and took some time to sit down on it.

I was a little leery of the first one. I could sense her frustration with the
coming of the holidays and everything she had to do. But after she sat
down beside me I could feel the tension begin to leave her. I picked up a
"thank goodness I have a job" thought, and then something about her son.
My, how she loves that boy ! I bettter get up and let her have the bench all
to herself. With a heart like hers, surely good wishes would flow in
abundance and the "bench" will work its wonders. God, I feel her good will
now ! Wonderful.

Later on, as I was walking back to the bench, I was surprised to see
another woman sitting there, taking in the peacefulness and enjoying the
scattered snowflakes that fell softly upon her hair. I didn't want to stop
and spoil the moment for her so I continued on up the walkway. Another
image of being thankful for having a good job. Must be a sign of the times.
An image of loving kids. And clothes ? This woman seems familiar to me.
Maybe we have shared a thought or two in the past. She seems to be very
comfortable here. Yes, she'll come again I know. Filled with hope.

Everyone has gone home now. It's late. Better make my way home too.
Hope those punks aren't around.

A day passed and I stayed at home, drinking some hot tea with honey and
catching up on some reading. Outside it was snowing heavy, and very cold.
I thought about all the people that would be without this Thanksgiving and
my heart grew sad. There's really nothing we can do about it on a grand
scale, but if we help in small ways and wish in big ways, well maybe things
will be better. If everyone had a chance to sit on the magical bench and
know that their wishes might very well come true, wouldn't that be some-
thing?!
I'm off to the park today. I know they'll be waiting for me again. There's
something about me that drives them crazy. I'm too optimistic for them !
They don't like me because I don't hate them. Strange.
I get lucky, they are nowhere around. This is more like it. A winter
wonderland to enjoy to my hearts content. I make my way up the path
and watch the children ride their sleds down the hills past me, moving at
what seems to be close to the speed of sound for them, their faces full of
smiles and determinations. I remember when I did it myself ! On these
very same hills. God, those were great times.
The bench is coming into view. I get a little giddy when I get this close.

I didn't see the snowballs until the first one hit me right in the temple. The
others didn't matter anyway, I was down and bleeding. Through one eye
I glanced over and saw the fallen snowball that had done the most
damage. A sharp rock had been packed inside the snowball, and its edges
were red with my blood. Soon they were kicking and hitting me and I was
knocked unconscious. Later, much later, I crawled to the bench and had
all I could do to pull myself up and sit on the soft wood. I was a bloody,
broken mess, but I was here and that was good enough right now. And
they had gone.
I turned myself over to the bench . .and immediately the healing began.
An hour later I was walking home as if nothing had happened. I love that
bench !

Yes, I make wishes too when I sit on the bench. Made two yesterday as a
matter of fact. I tried to think good thoughts but I'm not sure if they came
out that way, you know . .good thoughts. This morning though I did see
evidence of my first wish coming true, because when I walked into the
park I saw a lot more sled-riders than usual, and they were all grown-ups,
not a kid to be seen anywhere ! And these adults were having so much fun
it was ridiculous ! I even joined them and went for a ride down hill so fast
I thought my nose would freeze. What fun ! It had been way too long !

A friend of mine sat on the bench early this morning and wished for a
skating rink. Said she always liked to ice-skate during the Thanksgiving
holidays when she was a kid. Maybe that's why it's beginning to sleet right
now. Maybe. Got to love that bench !

I met this little boy leaving the bench just as I was getting there and I
asked him how things were going. He seemed upset and said he was
worried about losing his dog. Seems his dog had bitten one of his friends
and now there was talk of having his dog put to sleep. Didn't seem fair to
him. He said his dog was his best friend and he'd had him since he was
a pup. I told the boy to come back and sit with me for a while on the
bench and hope that it didn't happen. After he left I made the wish again.
The sleet has turned to a cold, cold rain.

The punks came back again. Walking in the freezing rain as if it didn't
bother them at all. There aren't any youngsters in the park for them to
pick on so I imagine it won't be too long before they come after one of us
adults. How can they walk around soak and wet in that freezing rain with-
out jackets on ? Got to be crazy !

I'm off to the park again today. Plan to wish that the money for these
bail-outs goes to the right people. Is everyone getting bailed out ? Or just
the "too-big-to-fail" ones ? Guess you have to be an ex ivy-leaguer making
seven figure income to quailfy don't you ? Let me see, screw up the
company and get bailed out by the government ? What a deal ! And no
accountability or punishment for poor management skills ? The bad get
worse.

The sleet and freezing rain that fell yesterday has transformed the park
into a virtual winter ice-land. Ice frozen to the trees. Ice frozen to the
benches and stone picnic tables. Ice everywhere. Looking downhill, I see
that enough rain fell and froze to create a small skating pond down
between the hills. Another wish come true for someone.
As I near "the" bench, I notice it is dry and free of ice and snow. I look
around and realize it is the only bench that is ! All the other benches and
tables are covered from top to bottom with ice. How strange.
Quickly I sit down and make my wishes, especially the one about the bail-
out money. As I open my eyes again I see the three punks staring at me !

I sit still, waiting for them to make their move. Five minutes go by. They
don't move a muscle, they just keep staring at me. And there's terror in
their eyes ! Are they suddenly afraid of me ? I study them closer, and
that's when I realize they're frozen solid !! They're covered with ice, and
can't move, but they appear to still be alive ! Only their eyes move.
In helpless terror. I now realize my second wish has come true from two
days prior, that something would happen to keep them from inflicting
harm on others. And so it has happened ! Ah, this bench . .this bench.

Now admittedly I sat there for awhile, thinking over things and trying to
decide what I should do about the situation. But there was only one real
decision to make. To help them as fast as I could ! After all, I had only
wished for them to become harmless here in the park, not for them to die.
I jumped up and ran over to them, trying to let them know I was there to
help. With my cane I broke away some of the ice holding their feet to the
ground. Then, with the help of those two ladies that were returning to the
park to make more wishes, we pushed and pulled them over to the bench
and sat them stiffly down on the soft, dry wood.
Immediately the panic in their eyes disappeared, replaced with hopeful
glances. The ice entombing them began to melt away. The women said
goodbye and walked away together talking about children, clothes, and
Thanksgiving in general. Having thanked them, I waved goodbye and
continued my vigilance of the three boys alone. I watched as the ice
turned to water, dripping down to the ground in huge drops and plops. I
watched the cold stiffness leave their bodies. I watched their light clothes
begin to dry. Miraculous ! And then I watched them stand up, turn around,
and stare quietly at "the bench". They walked over and touched it gently,
running their hands over the wood as if it were sacred. And then, without
so much as a howdy-doo, they each shook my hand and left. I watched
them walk down the path and disappear in the newly falling snow.
I sat down on the bench and relaxed. Life had a way of working out !

Of course I wished for the usual things while I sat there. World peace. An
end to world hunger. Good holidays for all my family and friends. Low gas
prices. Higher real estate values. But I also wished that the bench would
continue its magic. Here in the park. . . With giant snowflakes falling.