INTRODUCTION
Ever since your friend died so tragically a couple of days ago, you have been grief struck. You don't feel life is worth living. All those things you were going to do together - going down to the town, playing, inviting her over to your house for tea.
And today it's Sunday. You used to go to the park with her on a Sunday, just the two of you, and talk about everything that had happened during the week. Funny that way she had of just understanding what you meant. You never felt embarrassed, and you could always, always, trust her. She just knew... The tears begin to well up in your eyes. How can you find such a friend again. You even feel a little bit of anger creeping into you - how could she leave you? How could she? The tears are really flowing now. You feel exhausted, but the anger is melting away again. Yes, you just MISS her.
You've gone down to the park anyway, with your other friends this time, but they are over the other side of the playing field. And beyond them is the pond... that terrible pond where she was drowned.
You sit down on a bench and look at the flower bed, full of late daffodils, tulips just in bud, a colourful border starting to sprout, and green leaves - everywhere so green. You can see the colours through your tears.
After a few moments you feel a strange sensation, a sort of warmth creeping through you, as if someone might be next to you. You don't know how, or why, and it's not at all a frightening feeling. You just start to feel happy. Suddenly you can remember all the good times you spent here in this park. Suddenly you feel you can see your friend's face, hear her voice. Extraordinary - but it seems so natural, as if you've been given a gift. As if your friend has come back. Somehow you know that what she did - saving that other girl - wasn't wasted. You don't feel alone anymore. OK, maybe you can't go into town shopping together, but you feel as if you can talk to her again. Perhaps life is still worth living after all!
And you run as quickly as you can across the playing field to tell your friends.
KEY VIDEO CLIP
Episode 12c: Caught at the Crossroads
PRAYER
Give us grateful hearts
And give us joy as we say
For the past - thank you,
For the present - thank you,
For the future - thank you.
Amen
MUSIC
'Now the Green Blade Rises' No.131
'Shalom' No.141
in The Complete Come and Praise
BBC, 1990 ISBN: 0 563 345810
NOTES
In Storykeepers, Chapters 12 and 13 are concerned with the Crucifixion and Resurrection. The themes of hope and new life link the Resurrection with the re-uniting of the boys with their parents and a new life for Anna with Tacticus and Miriam.
The disciples had to face life without Jesus' physical presence. The first Christians had to face continuing persecution and evil, but the underlying message had been told loud and clear, that light does shine in darkness and that faith can overcome death, just as the chill of winter is overcome by warmth and the life force of spring.
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