Have you ever tried to help somebody and instead you caused a problem? I did that years ago, but I came up with a brilliant idea to solve it.
My mom and I have always been there for each other. One Saturday, I cleaned her house so she could catch up on some much-needed yard work. At this time, I was in my mid-twenties. Anyway, I was trying to maneuver the vacuum from the hallway and into the bathroom. I gave the broom a jerk, which caused the hose to bump into the mirror on the wall behind me. I heard the thud of it being knocked off and then the crash of the glass shattering as it slammed into the floor.
Mom had bought the mirror at a home decor party a couple of weeks earlier and now it was lying in broken pieces. My heart dropped into my stomach. I knew what I had to do. First, I vacuumed up the smaller pieces and then I threw the shards of glass into the trash. Once I had cleaned up the mess, I stepped outside to tell her what I had done. Even though I was an adult, I felt like an anxious klutzy kid again.
After I told her, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she grimaced and sighed. In silence, we walked back inside to the scene of the crime. Mom eyeballed the now empty frame that was still lying on the floor. I waited for her upset response.
Who could blame her? Over the years, Ms. Graceful here had broken, cracked or chipped many of her knickknacks, plates and other home decorations.
“I’ll buy you another mirror to replace this one,” I finally offered.
Her reply surprised me: “No, that’s not necessary. I know it was very hard for you to tell me about this. That took a lot of courage on your part.”
I couldn’t believe it. I felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted off me. That sense of relief allowed me to come up with a brilliant idea. “How about I cross-stitch you a picture and we can put it in the frame?”
“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)
Don’t underestimate how words said in anger and/or hurt can affect others and make a bad situation worse. Before you answer, pray and take a deep breath. My mom’s soft response gave me so much relief that it allowed my creative brain to come up with a solution.
I loved to cross-stich and my mom loved my pictures, so it was a win/win for the both of us.
Mom and I went to Edith’s Cloth Store in Halls where she picked out a cross-stitch pattern she wanted. After I finished, we placed it into the frame. To this day, it still hangs in her home. I used a picture of it for the article. Also, I included other pictures I have cross-stitched for her over the years. By the way, I didn’t have to break anything for those to hang on the wall.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.