I’m so overwhelmed, let me explain why. In my blog entitled: “Improving My English”; I mentioned my love of reading and how at the time when I could barely understand the language, much less read it, I got a hold of a book my husband Bill had. The title was “The Mark of the Lion”, book which I tried to read but understood very, very little; however, Bill would read and explain it to me as best as he could, his Spanish was just a little better than my English! The book, written by Kenneth Sandford, tells of the real life events of a man named Charles Upham and it covers his life since childhood in New Zealand, to his WWII exploits. I was enthralled and never forgot the little bit that I understood. Once I was able to understand English, I started looking for the book because I wanted to take my time to read and really understand the story; however, my search was fruitless because in looking for The Mark of the Lion, I was looking for the book believing the author to be Charles Oopham, that’s how his name was written in the edition I saw and tried to read. I didn’t recalled that the story had been written by Kenneth Sandford and didn’t know that the last name had been changed from Oopham to Upham. I attribute my error on the fact that I didn’t understand what I was “reading”
Well, one evening a few weeks ago, my son came up to my room and after knocking and me saying “come in”, he went in and handed me a parcel. I had not ordered anything and was puzzled as to what was inside that parcel and kept turning it over and over trying to see who the sender was, until my son said: “mom stop wondering who sent it and what it is and open the thing”, not necessarily in those words! O yeah, silly me! When I tore open the parcel and saw that it was a book, which I had turned upside down and to the back cover, didn’t take the time to read, but when I turned it to see the front, believe me, I started jumping and squealed so much and even had tears for I had tried to find the book and had never been successful in finding it. When I learned to read English, I wanted to read that book and be able to understand it. After my joyful jumping, squealing and crying, I grabbed my phone and sent a text message to my 8 children asking which of them had sent me the book, I was so sure that one of them had sent it to me. My children love teasing me and I got back several messages saying: Me, immediately followed by messages saying NOT.
Needless to say, those messages left me confused and my poor brain was in turmoil, I could not imagine who had sent me such a gift and given me so much joy; then one day looking at my FB page I see a message from a dear friend with whom we recently re connected (she and her husband live in the Dallas area) Her message read: “Did you received the book I sent you, see, I read your blog” I was blown away and my heart swelled in thanksgiving and love for this lady who thought so much of me that she took it upon herself to find the book and have it shipped to me from England where she found it.
Carol, I know I sent you a message thanking you for your thoughtfulness and kindness, but I wanted to share with everyone who reads my blogs that because of you, I now have the opportunity to sate my desire to really read this book that impacted me all those years ago, even though I could barely understand it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
‘Till next time!