Summary: Use this quote in a story of 600 words or less.\u00a0 “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” -Willie Nelson<\/p>\n
Rating: G, Word Count: 3571<\/p>\n
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by\u00a0Hart4Ben<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0<\/span>Fri Jun 01, 2018 12:12 am<\/p>\n Blessings In The Balance<\/p>\n I remember that day with both shame and thanksgiving. I made a choice.\u00a0When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.\u00a0I\u2019m not certain where we would be if Adam had not stepped out on faith — trusted the Almighty to guide his words — words that would break my heart, but shake me from my despair.<\/p>\n Several weeks had passed since my life turned upside-down — again. The burden of guilt and responsibility — that somehow I could have prevented Marie\u2019s death — was overwhelming and unbearable. I can still see her exhilarated smile and then all goes black. I went through the motions until after the funeral, but then found I could not bear to look at Joseph. So I fled, like a coward, because his green eyes, so lost and filled with sadness, crushed my soul. I roamed the Ponderosa by day and sneaked into the house in the middle of the night to grab a few bites of food and fumble through the papers on my desk. At first Adam slept on the settee hoping to catch me, update me on things of importance, and most likely just make sure I was still alive. But often I had been drinking and was too angry and exhausted to hold a civil conversation. What hell I put him through, what pure and selfish hell! My son was running my ranch and caring for his younger brothers — my son who at seventeen should have been focused on his studies and plans for the future, but instead was father, brother, and ranch manager for the Cartwright family. May God forgive me.<\/p>\n With sheer grit, stubbornness, and love — love for me, love for his brothers, and love for our land, he managed to do it all — much longer than he should have. Then one night, there was a letter on my desk. Sadly, he knew that confronting me face to face would never work. Stoic and proud, yet afraid of his own grief, writing was Adam\u2019s only option.<\/p>\n Dear Pa,<\/strong><\/p>\n I know these past weeks have been awful for you and that you miss Marie terribly. It\u2019s so hard to understand, especially for Little Joe. I know you must think of her every time you look at him. It makes me wonder whether you ever felt that way about me or Hoss. I\u2019m thankful you didn\u2019t give me up as a baby, even though I\u2019m sure it would have been much easier. And I\u2019m thankful you didn\u2019t give up Hoss. I can\u2019t imagine not having him as my brother. Both times, you stayed with us and did your best. So please, Pa, don\u2019t run from Little Joe. He needs you. Hoss and I need you. But I want you to know that however long it takes, I will do my best to keep the Ponderosa running, because one day your cloud of sadness will lift, and you will truly be home. We will be here waiting, Hoss, Little Joe, and me.<\/p>\n Your son, The letter fell from my hands as if on fire. Dear God in heaven, what kind of father does this to his children? The shame of it all seared my conscience. I crept upstairs and gently opened Adam\u2019s door. I spoke from the hallway hoping to save us both further emotional upheaval.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam? Son?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNight, Pa. Sleep well.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s audible sigh of relief made my knees go weak. I went to my room and wept into my pillow like a child. I vowed from that moment forward my sons would have a father once more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n by\u00a0AC1830<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0<\/span>Fri Jun 01, 2018 9:24 am<\/p>\n Turn Around<\/p>\n I rode hell bent for leather, my horse was lathered with sweat. I knew I was pushing him too hard but sometimes you just don\u2019t care. This was one of those times. Focusing on the trail ahead kept my mind off the angry words and hurt looks I left in my wake. Suddenly, my horse jerked which sent my heart racing even faster. I reined him to a stop and that\u2019s when I got a good look at him from atop the saddle. His sides were heaving, his coat was frothy, he pulled against the reins to hang his head low. I jumped from the saddle and led him slowly to a copse of trees, thank God there was actually a small stream there.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry boy. I let my anger get the best of me. We\u2019ll stay here overnight so we both can rest and sort things out.\u201d<\/p>\n By the time my horse was cooled down, the sun was setting. I made a quick camp and managed to shoot a rattler to make him my dinner before I became his. Not the best kind of meat but hey, a man\u2019s gotta eat.<\/p>\n As the stars came out I slid my bedroll out from under the tree so I could stare at them. My faithful horse seems to have forgiven me for nearly killing him today. He came over and nudged my face, snorted then wandered off to graze on the fine grass we\u2019d found. Not sure he\u2019ll let me push him that hard again for quite a while though.<\/p>\n Oh those stars are something else tonight. They\u2019ve always been my companions for as long as I can remember. You know, a man can do a lot worse than having those twinkling diamonds for friends. Hmm, friends. That\u2019s another thing a man needs now and again. I\u2019ve been a loner too long to settle some place but when I got this last job, well, something changed. Oh well, I sure fixed that this time. There\u2019s no going back, not after all those words I said. Best get some sleep, since I\u2019ve got long road ahead tomorrow.<\/p>\n ————<\/p>\n \u201cHey, look who\u2019s comin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll be.\u201d<\/p>\n After dismounting, I kicked at the dirt and took my hat off. Boy this was going to be hard.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat brought you back?\u201d The voice was quiet and kinder than I expected, or felt I deserved.<\/p>\n I managed a crooked smile. \u201cLast night there were more stars I\u2019d ever seen and someone told me one time that each star in the sky is like a blessing. Well, that got me to thinking, and\u00a0when I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.\u00a0And well\u2026.I guess so did I. I\u2019ve got it pretty good here so if you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019d like to stay a while longer.\u201d<\/p>\n The four Cartwrights each held out their hands. \u201cCandy you can stay as long as you like. You\u2019ve always got a home here.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nAdam<\/p>\n