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A BEGINNING TO AN END By Ashleigh Calvert The blaring siren was loud and clear in the moonlight. Lisa watched in despair as her mother and father, were driven to the hospital. Smoke filled her eyes as she turned to face her Aunt and Uncle. She took one more look at her smoldering house and knew it was time to find out if her mother or father would be coming home. As the doctor approached her she looked with a little bit of hope still in her heart. As she questioned him he shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “We did everything we could, but their smoke inhalation was too great. It was too late by the time they got here.” The words cut very deep into her heart. When she got in bed, she sobbed her heart out. She had a terrible ache inside of her. She knew her Aunt and Uncle would take her in, but all she had were the clothes on her back and a heartache she would have to carry forever. Lisa Bristol was fourteen years old, tall, slender and beautiful. She had dark hair and green eyes. She liked to skate and act. She had friends but enjoyed being with her family most. The next morning she went shopping and out to lunch with her Aunt. When they go home, Lisa began to read a book, but she just couldn’t concentrate on it. She kept on thinking of her parents and their every detail. Week after week rolled on. School started and Lisa met new friends. Her best friend was Gina Trypner. Gina introduced her to some more friends and they became very close. One day during lunch Gina asked if Lisa would like to hang out after school for a while. Of course Lisa said yes. Lisa followed Gina to a discreet alley and her other friends were there. Conversation started and it wasn’t too long before Gina pulled out some cigarettes. The group passed them around and when it came to Lisa, everyone had already lit theirs. Lisa could smell the smoke and remember that the fire that had killed her parents came from someone who had casually thrown a cigarette. Lisa ran home and locked herself in the room. She knew the girls probably were talking about her this very minute. Her Aunt knocked on the door and went in. Lisa told her about the cigarettes. Her Aunt told her it was right to have given up the offer and said unless Gina came over to study, Lisa couldn’t hang out with Gina after school. Lisa agreed and said she’d better do her homework. The next day Gina sat by Lisa at lunch but none of her other friends did. Gina asked her why she went home yesterday and Lisa told her story. Gina realized that Lisa had gone through a lot but didn’t understand why smoking was so bad for you. It was cool. Lisa explained that it made your lungs polluted and it could kill you. Gina said she would try to stop smoking. Lisa was still going to church and began to enjoy it. One Sunday the Pastor was talking about why bad things happen to good people. At this, Lisa began to listen with great interest. He went on to say God does things for a purpose and though we may not understand why, He has a plan. Sometimes that means some hard times for the people affected by it. Lisa was taking notes on the bulletin. The sermon was over quicker than it started according to Lisa. She knocked on the Pastor’s door and went in. “Sit down and make yourself comfortable,” he said pleasantly. Lisa sat and began her story. After she was finished she asked more about the sermon. The Pastor explained that God never promised long life to everyone and we have to accept it. Then the Pastor told her that there was a lot of comfort she could find in God. He told her that God loved her and wanted her to know that so He sent His Son to die in her place. He said that didn’t mean she would live forever on earth but if she believed in Jesus Christ she would go to heaven when she died. That Sunday she became a Christian. Her family took her out to eat to celebrate. As Lisa began to grow spiritually she accepted her parents’ tragedy and she moved on. Of course, she still was sad but God helped her to see that clinging to the past and mot moving on was not the best thing. Lisa lived a very happy life, and by her happiness showed others that even after a terrible tragedy you can still find comfort in God. |
