My darling blog readers, I have decided to write a story, not just for you, but also for me. It is a reminder.
The Ungratefuls
There once was a family who forgot to be thankful. The sun would shine, and when they saw it, they would complain. "It's too hot." They wouldn't feel its warmth, or see the golden light it cast on every thing around them. They did not put on shorts and enjoy the heat. They did not see how the flowers reached for the sun with longing. They did not appreciate how the earth was warmed. They didn't eat watermelon, or go for a boat ride on a lake. They were not able to enjoy the sun. They forgot. It was too hot.
The rain would fall. This poor family did not see how it would make the sidewalk shine. They didn't even notice the wetness against their skin. The earth would take in the rain, and things began to grow, but the ungratefuls would sit inside and say, "it's so wet! Who would want to go outside in this awful weather?" They did not see how the rain pooled and collected in puddles. They didn't go outside with umbrellas and splash in the puddles. They would complain about the mud. They didn't even see the rainbow that appeared after the rain. They did not appreciate how the land looked after a good long drink. They forgot. It was too wet.
The wind would blow. The little girl would go outside for only a moment. She would then come right back in and say, "Oh! The wind has messed my hair!" The mother went out, and came right back in and said, "I have gotten dust in my contact lens! I hate the wind!" This poor family did not see how the seeds would be spread by the wind. They did not see footprints in the sand erased. They did not notice how the trees would sway in a dance, pushed by the force of the wind. They could not appreciate the beauty in the power of the wind. They forgot. It was too windy.
Autumn came. The trees began to turn red, copper, yellow, orange and gold. The gentle fall sunshine seeped through the leaves in the trees. The trees slowly began to drop their leaves, gently, all over the ground. The ground was covered with a fragrant layer of slowly fermenting leaves. The air became crisp. Apples ripened. The father looked out the window and thought, "I need to rake up all of those leaves." Father went outside and raked up the leaves, but as he was putting them in the trash bag, He stubbed his big toe on a rock. He went inside, hunched over in pain, screaming, "blast this stupid fall weather!!! I hate leaves! I hate fall!" The poor family did not appreciate the cooler temperatures or the colors of fall. They forgot.
Then the snow would fall. It covered the whole world with a soft, white blanket. All of the shadows turned blue. Everything was cold and quiet. The little boy went outside, slipped and fell. He got snow down his waistband. He went right back inside. "It is so cold outside! Now my pants are wet! I HATE snow!!!" The father decided to drive to the store. He got in his car and drove out of the driveway. He began to drive down the street. The car slid into a ditch. It got stuck. The father became angry. He cursed. He yelled. He got out of the car and kicked the tire. He walked home, shivering. He went in the house and said, "the roads are terrible! You can't drive anywhere! I can't wait until this weather clears up!" This poor family didn't appreciate the snow. They forgot how. It was too cold and snowy.
Eventually, the family no longer left their house. The weather was never good enough for them to enjoy. They watched television and complained. Nothing was ever good enough. Soon, the hinges on the doors rusted. Leaves piled up along the edges of the door frame. The car battery died. The family was not seen by the neighbors for many years. People began to talk about the family that once lived there, but no one knew what had happened to them. Children would dare each other to run up to the door and touch it. People wondered if ghosts lived in that house. The Ungratefuls seemed to vanish.
The seasons continued to change outside of the Ungrateful house. Others danced on summer evenings, splashed in rain puddles, built snowmen and planted flowers in the spring. All of these things were lost on the family who forgot how to give thanks for the good things, as the family was finally lost to the world.
