File #928: "Mosaic_Spring2009_10.jpg"
Description
safety as well. The dogs' barks were becoming more audible so the animals knew they were quickly getting closer by the minute. At that time the animals became spooked and started to run frantically toward the woods. The buck glanced around hoping to see his long lost doe amidst all of the stampeding animals, but yet he still did not see her.
When he finally made it to the woods, he knew that he would still have to travel deeper into the woods to make sure that he would be safe. The woods were somewhat dark with the shade created by all of the old trees but off in a distance he could see some light coming into view.
As he approached the lighted area he saw streams of crystal blue water sparkling like diamonds reflecting from the sun. There were animals of all kinds seeking new shelter from the hunters and the harsh winter months. Amidst all of them he saw his long lost whitetail doe he had been longing for over the past few days. He could not believe his eyes. He walked toward her to reconcile with her, but her scent was unfamiliar. This was not his long lost whitetail doe. So, the hunt for her ended with hopelessness and the lonely whitetail buck walked away devastated and mourning his loss.
Photo by Amy Hutchins
- 18-
"You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover"
John Barnes
Old sayings get to be old sayings for good reason, and I became aware of one in particular because it came to make sense to me as an individual a few years ago. The expression "you can't judge a book by its cover" had been one that I had been familiar with my entire life, but I never had as much of a reason to actually apply it to people as I did while working during the last year at the factory where I used to work. Two distinct events involving a young Hispanic man named Daniel Rodriguez helped me to recognize how true this old saying really is. To this day, I can still remember the first and last times that I saw him. These two things normally would not be that significant but for the fact that he had a smile on his round, friendly face. The occasions that I mentioned shared other distinct characteristics as well.
The first thing that he did when we met was to extend his hand in greeting and friendship. This is also the last thing that he did after we said goodbye. At first, I was hesitant to be outgoing toward Daniel because I had dealt with a lot of other Hispanics with less than favorable results. One of the most generous of the many things that Daniel willingly did to be my true friend was to help me to learn to speak a very functional Spanish. This on its face may not seem like that big of a deal, but he and I literally spent weeks when figured in hours as we spoke to one another and took turns finding words or expressions in my now well-worn and dog-eared Spanish-English dictionary.
I remember with perfect clarity how welcome he and his family and friends made me feel the first time that they invited me to their home. I do not know that I have been as well fed or more warmly greeted anywhere in my life. As I mentioned earlier, through my previous dealings with Hispanics I had found deceit and hard-heartedness, but not so with Daniel. In one of the most perfect examples of soft-heartedness that I have ever seen, Daniel wept after having found out that he had accidentally forgotten to turn on his cell phone to receive my message that I had arrived at a pre-determined place from which we were supposed to go to his wife's birthday party. Although he had grown up poor and very tough, the thought that he had hurt my feelings completely overwhelmed him with sadness.
When he finally made it to the woods, he knew that he would still have to travel deeper into the woods to make sure that he would be safe. The woods were somewhat dark with the shade created by all of the old trees but off in a distance he could see some light coming into view.
As he approached the lighted area he saw streams of crystal blue water sparkling like diamonds reflecting from the sun. There were animals of all kinds seeking new shelter from the hunters and the harsh winter months. Amidst all of them he saw his long lost whitetail doe he had been longing for over the past few days. He could not believe his eyes. He walked toward her to reconcile with her, but her scent was unfamiliar. This was not his long lost whitetail doe. So, the hunt for her ended with hopelessness and the lonely whitetail buck walked away devastated and mourning his loss.
Photo by Amy Hutchins
- 18-
"You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover"
John Barnes
Old sayings get to be old sayings for good reason, and I became aware of one in particular because it came to make sense to me as an individual a few years ago. The expression "you can't judge a book by its cover" had been one that I had been familiar with my entire life, but I never had as much of a reason to actually apply it to people as I did while working during the last year at the factory where I used to work. Two distinct events involving a young Hispanic man named Daniel Rodriguez helped me to recognize how true this old saying really is. To this day, I can still remember the first and last times that I saw him. These two things normally would not be that significant but for the fact that he had a smile on his round, friendly face. The occasions that I mentioned shared other distinct characteristics as well.
The first thing that he did when we met was to extend his hand in greeting and friendship. This is also the last thing that he did after we said goodbye. At first, I was hesitant to be outgoing toward Daniel because I had dealt with a lot of other Hispanics with less than favorable results. One of the most generous of the many things that Daniel willingly did to be my true friend was to help me to learn to speak a very functional Spanish. This on its face may not seem like that big of a deal, but he and I literally spent weeks when figured in hours as we spoke to one another and took turns finding words or expressions in my now well-worn and dog-eared Spanish-English dictionary.
I remember with perfect clarity how welcome he and his family and friends made me feel the first time that they invited me to their home. I do not know that I have been as well fed or more warmly greeted anywhere in my life. As I mentioned earlier, through my previous dealings with Hispanics I had found deceit and hard-heartedness, but not so with Daniel. In one of the most perfect examples of soft-heartedness that I have ever seen, Daniel wept after having found out that he had accidentally forgotten to turn on his cell phone to receive my message that I had arrived at a pre-determined place from which we were supposed to go to his wife's birthday party. Although he had grown up poor and very tough, the thought that he had hurt my feelings completely overwhelmed him with sadness.