The gentle wind gave a light sway to the trees in the forest. The little worm who worked hard to climb onto a branch was shaking as he looked up into the eyes of the great white owl. His new little green vest, a symbol of his heritage and coming of age, made him look like a small branch shaking in the wind.

With fear and trepidation, he continued, “And, then I landed next to a great mysterious book. The pages were open and I understood its words.”

The wise owl gave a curious look down at the little worm. “What did you say your name was?”

“Willy, sir,” said the shaky voice.

“Curious,” the great owl pondered. “Now that you know the mysteries of the great book, what will you do with the wisdom you’ve gained?”

“The book tells me to proclaim its mysteries to my friends and neighbors,” Willy responded with certainty.

“That would be a wonder to see, and how are you to go about doing such?” asked the owl.

“I’m supposed to be like a light on a hill for all to see.”

“Hmm, a measly worm like you?”

“I assure you, that is part of the mystery,” explained little Willy.

“Indeed it is,” pondered the owl. “You were certainly chosen for such a time as this.”

“The book talked about the fullness of time.”

“I’m sure it did,” grinned the wise owl. “Today, most creatures great and small are tolerant of anything that their friends do, as long as it doesn’t negatively impact them. But, the great book of wisdom suggests that there is a right way to live that adds to life abundantly.”

“Some will ridicule me as I share the truth.”

“They will.”

“Others will find a greater life in caring for others,” cheered Willy.

“You have indeed read the book of wisdom, but how will you know those who want to hear and those who don’t?”

“The more time I spend reading the great words, the more I’m compelled to share the great news. With every understanding, I feel like I’m flying and have to tell someone the great mysteries as they unfold.”

“Even now your enthusiasm for sharing these great truths has engulfed you in wonder,” declared the owl.

Willy looked down at himself and realized that a totally righteous red, white and blue outfit befitting a child of a King had replaced his little green vest. He looked back eye-to-eye at the great white owl and smiled.

“It appears that meditating on the words of wisdom made you into a true wonder,” the owl said as he nodded toward the ground.

Willy glanced down and realized that he was flying. The words of the great book immediately flashed in his mind:

“They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

“You have been given an awesome responsibility to spread the words of wisdom to all who will listen,” proclaimed the great owl. “Going forth, you shall be named Wonder Worm, for your life will testify to the words you will share.”

Wonder looked directly into the eyes of the great owl without a single part of him shaking. “I shall encourage everyone I meet to read from the great book of wisdom, so they too can have an abundant life.”

The wise owl smiled, then nodded for him to take flight.

Wonder Worm lifted his arm high over his head with a heart of praise and raised up high into the sky to look for the first person he could help.

Copyright © 1979 and 2011 By CJ Powers

A group of neighborhood boys were playing in the front yard under a partial full moon. Their play was interrupted when a black SUV, covered in off-roading dirt and slime, pulled into the upscale suburban driveway next to them.

Tom pulled the key from the ignition and grinned at Aaron, his 8-year-old son.

“You can play with the guys for 20 minutes if you promise not say a word to your mom. I’ll get up early tomorrow and have this baby cleaned up before we head to church. Deal?”

“But, Dad, you’re not supposed to work on Father’s Day.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just make sure you keep your word.”

“Promise.”

Aaron climbed out of the SUV and ran over to the guys. One boy gave him a high five, “Cool ride! That must have been some radical off-roading.”

Tom climbed out of the SUV and headed toward the house. The boys cheered and gave him a thumbs up for what appeared to be the coolest father/son adventure. Tom looked directly into Aaron’s eyes.

“Keep your word.”

Once the door closed behind Tom, Aaron turned to his friends, “If you want to keep future adventure possibilities open for yourselves, we have a mission.”

A little later, Tom called out from Aaron’s bedroom window on the second floor, “Aaron!”

Aaron jumped to his feet and quickly shifted in front of two boys, in order to block his dad’s view, while they attempted to loosen the front yard faucet.

“It’s time to come in.”

“Dad, can I have another 15 minutes?”

“Your mom wants you in bed. We have church in the morning.”

Disappointment filled Aaron’s face. He signaled his friends and headed inside.

Later that night, Tom peaked through the door that was cracked open; to make sure Aaron was asleep.

Aaron was kneeling next to his bed in prayer. Tom couldn’t hear what was said, but waited patiently to make sure Aaron climbed into bed once he finished.

Aaron wiggled a bit, then stood up and headed to the window. He glanced outside, shook his head, and returned to kneel next to his bed. He repeated this several times. Then, during a moment of prayer when his wiggle was stronger than ever, the sound of water spraying outside filled the room. Aaron’s head popped up, he smiled and climbed into bed.

Tom didn’t know what to make of the moment, but pulled the door closed and headed to bed.

The next morning, Tom quietly left the bedroom once his wife headed to the shower. He slipped a peek into Aaron’s room and found him sleeping with a silly grin on his face. Tom quietly descended the steps, stuck an apple in his mouth, and grabbed a bucket.

Tom walked over to the driveway and was startled to see a clean, shiny SUV. He noticed a note under a windshield wiper blade. It read:

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

Thanks for our great adventures.
You can read the comics instead of cleaning.

Also, can we take my friends on the next
adventure? They think you’re cool.

Love Aaron

Tom laughed – The best Father’s Day, ever.

She was breathtaking. A light glint of love sparkled in her eyes. The depth of my soul was opening and there was nothing I could do about it. In the quick blink of an eye, between her long eyelashes closing and reopening, I felt a surge of joy flood my soul. My heart pounded, as everything in the room gently slipped into slow motion. I was caught.

I had not intended to be captured by the joyful step in her walk. Nor did I think her beautiful smile would captivate me like a little boy in a 72,000 square foot candy store. All I could do was look into her eyes, frozen in time like a deer in headlights.

Would she consume me and spit me out into a pain filled world of broken relationships, or would she gently open my heart and gleefully play with my inner child? I couldn’t be sure, nor could I think in that awe filled moment. Thinking… Trying to think… Nothing came to me except for a light breeze of her beauty caressing my eyes.

My friend called me a hopeless romantic. He couldn’t resist making fun of me when he waved his hands in front of my face without my knowledge, as I was replaying my short moments with her in my mind’s eye. It was pleasurable in the most sincere and meaningful way.

My lips started to praise God for her beauty. Even the movement of her lips glossing over her precious smile was remembered in detail. The gentle words of affirmation rolling off of her lips fascinated me like a dance choreographed for butterflies fluttering within a floral garden.

But she was gone and I only held a slowly fading memory of her. I strained to relive the moment, but my attempts were spotty at best. If only I could cross her path once more. My attempts were futile. Some time later she married and I could no longer put forth the effort. My morals wouldn’t allow it.

I was found to be wanting and alone. Date after date fell shallow among the fading memories I cherished of her. I tried letting go and lowering my standards, but it was useless. I became a pathetic sight. Lonely. Trapped in an eternity of sorry emanating from a past that never was.

My only hope would emerge from a God of redemption. He alone would be able to bless me with someone far better than I could ever imagine. He was the one who knew my heart more deeply than any dating service could promote. He was the only one I could trust. It was he that would bring into my life a new joy at the exact moment authors dream about.

Letting go was far from convenient. Desiring someone new was even less appetizing. The love I felt in that short moment with her was worth the years of suffering I endured since her marriage. While my friends called me a fool for not moving on, I savored every last drop of memory before it turned a dingy gray. Erased from the thrills of reminiscing.

But tonight I rest my head on my pillow for the last time with her on my mind. The only thing remaining are a few volts of emotional bliss that memory can hardly hold. She will certainly be gone by morning. And for that, I will be thankful. For man can barely maintain the passionate love of a romance made in heaven, let alone a brief awe filled moment of time faded by life’s harsh reality.

She’s gone. That’s what I tell myself. I can no longer miss her. Not because she wasn’t awesome, she was, but because my memories have faded to the point of a sketchy dream. <Sigh>

Brilliant!

The subconscious is not daunted in the slightest way by crowded images or fading memories. It stays intact and plays wistfully in the fields of fun and romance. The very thought excites me. I shall hasten to close my eyes, fall asleep and look deeply into her eyes once again. My mind will be free to think of her often in rich colorful dreams that will last well into eternity.

Excuse me, but I have a date.

Good night.