she settled in with the small family, spending her days with two little boys, chickens and rabbits.

when she was alone, she would walk the property and sing over it. there was a large stage area in their backyard. it was easy to stand up there and sing to an audience of none, save for a few neighbors, angels and a cloud of witnesses she could not see.

back where she used to live, people she thought she could trust were doing bad things. her belongings, yet to be moved, were methodically taken from what had been her home by the friend she had taken in when she needed a home. the ‘friend’ had turned on her the moment she’d stepped on the train.

betrayal is never easy to process. she defaulted to forgiveness first as she witnessed every word spoken and every act committed against her.

it was not safe to go back to attempt to reverse what was in motion. she sensed it was better to take the losses. papa would restore. he was better at it. might as well let that all go.

she had little cash, so she learned grace in accepting help from others until circumstances changed.

on a sunday afternoon, the lady who owned the stone hut dropped her off at a church with a food shelf. there was a line of people waiting for the doors to open.

he rode up on a bicycle. he was thin, haggard looking, lacking nutrition, lacking love.

he noticed her. she noticed him.

he had a big, brilliant smile. he was charming. he knew it.

he pulled out his pity card out of his wallet right off the bat, showing her photos of his former wife and daughter.

she had his number when he told her they’d left him years earlier.

he told this story to anyone who would listen.

she heard spirit remind her to be ‘wise as a serpent, gentle as a dove.’

she knew. she saw. she had compassion.

they exchanged telephone numbers.

when they each got their share of food, they said goodbye outside the church.

he said he would call her.

she walked down the street pulling the little cart of canned goods and other foodstuffs behind her.

he watched her walk until he could no longer see her in the distance.

she could feel it.

(copyright 2016 jane doe)