There was a woman of great respect. She worked hard and employed many people in her business. She cared for her people and always sought what was best for everyone. She had been married once, but that did not work out. Her children were grown and her first grandchild would be born in a few weeks. Each night she would come home, take off her shoes, and fix a simple meal before settling in with the television.

She was always amazed — and frightened — by the scenes that unfolded on the news: murders and the trials of murderers, deaths from accidents, windstorms, fire, drought and floods in excess, bodies lying in the streets, nations collapsing, peace processes diverted for personal gain, and government officials arrested for wrongdoing. All of this violence and sorrow was poured into her living room through that small glowing screen.

She would turn the television off and open her favorite book. She read of things to come and their meaning, of great civilizations long past that had been obliterated, of righteous men preaching repentance or seeing entire cities crushed, of coming calamities and great forces battling for the souls of mankind, of destruction, famine, betrayal and greed. She read on and on until the weight of it overwhelmed her and she began to cry.

She had just heard those same horrors on the television, yet the book she was reading was of ancient date — it was the Bible. With her head bowed she asked God, “Will we ever learn?”

© Nancy Hilton 2011
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