Abandoned by his biological mother, a baby boy found a safe haven in the loving arms of Pollyanna, a beautiful maiden to be married to a local young lad. Was it the baby’s fate to grow under the care of someone other than his own parent? No one knows, but by then Pollyanna and her husband lovingly took care of him. Named Engelbert at his baptism, he grew into a fine gentleman under the couple’s guidance.
After having been lavished with love, Engelbert was ready to venture the world. With his adopted parents’ blessing we went abroad and eventually reached the Land of the Free and among other seekers of American Dream. Meanwhile, Pollyanna and her husband were successful parents with all their children graduated from college.
Like a thief coming from nowhere without warning, death came and broke the chain of this happy family with the sudden passing of Pollyanna’s husband. And while the family was still in grief, Pollyanna herself died.
She was an accomplished mother. In life and in death her legacy will forever be remembered and cherished by her family and friends. But will she not turn inside her grave with the notice from Engelbert whom she lovingly reared that he can’t make it to her funeral because of an up-coming personal event?
Tragedies are facts of life that happen sometimes people’s life’s success and happiness. These are like thorns attached by Mother Nature on the stem of a rose. Even death itself is not spared by thorns in the form of ingratitude as in the case of Pollyanna over the insensitive behavior shown by her adopted son after at her passing.
The Book of Proverbs says; “ If a man returns evil for good, from his house evil will not depart”. (Proverb. 17:13). “ A good name is more desirable than great riches and high esteem, than gold and silver”. (Proverbs 22:1).” Thorns and snares are on the path of the crooked; he who would safeguard his life will shun them”. (Proverbs 22:5).
