“Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning."
~ Psalm 30:5
Eldon, the twenty-something cook
at a dingy all-night diner could almost set his watch by Charlie’s arrival. After his shift, the nearly retired night
watchman would always stop in for breakfast, just before a trace of daybreak
wafts the narrow streets. They left
Charlie to guard the property when they closed the factory down. Now all he worries about is boredom.
His routine was predictable – same greeting, same booth,
same order: coffee and a piece of homemade apple pie. After serving him, Eldon always took a break
to join his friend for trip down memory lane.
The booth became his stage. Soon
Charlie would regale his friend with the glories of his past; drawing Eldon
into each story, making him hang on every word.
Eldon liked hearing of Charlie’s adventures, but his
favorite was always the one about his long lost love. The loneliness in his face quickly gave way
to hope and anticipation, as Charlie would amuse his pal with the fantasy of
Carla’s return.
Eldon knew that old Charlie was born in this town and had
never traveled outside its borders. He’d
never had a girlfriend. Carla’s
character was fictitious, the fabrication of a lonesome man desperately coping
with broken dreams and a sheltered life.
But Charlie enjoyed the attention as he recreated his imaginary liaison.
When Charlie didn’t come one today, Eldon got worried. He raced down the block just in time to see
the coroner’s office carting his favorite customer from the place he’d stood
guard for more than 40 years. Old
Charlie stories would be buried with his name.
Later that week, he joined two others at the gravesite – a
Pastor and a woman he did not know. “If
you’re a relative,” Eldon began. “He
left the world a better place.”
“Is that old Charlie?” she asked. Eldon nodded his head “Yes!”
That’s when she said “My name is Carla, I guess you’d call
us friends . . . from another life.”
(Several weeks later)
(Several weeks later)
Flakes of paint littered a floor
covered with dust and the remains of unlucky insects. Eldon looked up from the empty walls of his
cavernous security office. The scent of
Charlie's stale cigars still lingered. He still
had a hard time waiting for the night to pass, but it was thought of Carla’s
return that made the darkness manageable.
Reality . . . it’s just a word, he thought to himself.
Sometimes we mask emptiness with fantasy. But for those who believe, nights become
shorter when we dream the joy of a sunrise.
It’s the thought of eternal life that makes living on earth so
bearable. It’s the hope of success that
makes failure so tolerable. And it’s the
love of Christ that conquers all.
Lord who gives me strength. Thank You for strengthening me and for filling
my every need. Thank You for loving me
more than I can comprehend. I know that my
burdens will be lighter because I trust in You with all my heart. Amen
