Carved On The Windowsill Of Your Soul

Being out of work I’ve had some free time on my time. That means I have the opportunity to help out people in our neighborhood.

There was a woman who’s teenage son had just moved out. It was one of those uncomfortable partings. The son was angry. I’m not sure what he was angry about. I’m not sure he knew what he was angry about. But, it must have been his mother’s fault. I remember being 18.

Anyway, the son was gone, but the mom needed help with his room. It was in the basement and stairs were a challenge for her. I helped move the stuff out of his room and clean it out. Eventually, I got to the windowsill. The young man had carved an unpleasant word into the windowsill.

Stock windowsill. Not the actual abused windowsill

He was angry and it appeared to have been done recently. Perhaps he’d done it just after he was told he had to leave. We were already planning to paint the room, and the trim. I sanded the wood down and repainted it. The boy’s mother never saw it. I made sure of that.

But, as I was sanding out the letters, it struck me how simple I was able to repair the damage. When I was done, no one would know the difference. It was like the words were never there.

But, what about that boy? (If he’s 18 and on his own, is he really a boy?) Those words were carved on his heart in anger. If he’s like most of young men, he would eventually change his mind. He’ll mature and want to have a relationship with his mother. And no matter how much he tries, nothing will remove those words from his heart.

He might soften them. He might work to replace them, but he can’t. He can surround them with love, tenderness, humility and tenderness. But, like a scar from youthful carelessness, it will stay with him.

If only it was as easy to replace the careless and harsh words we let loose as it is to sand and paint over the words on a windowsill.

Stay safe

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.

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