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{Heart Touchers} *Taking a Stand* 10/12/01
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We end another great week of stories with one
by Heart Touchers regular contributor, Joe Walker.
May all of you have a great weekend!
From my family to yours,
Michael
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TAKING A STAND
By Joseph Walker
I don't want you to think I was a wimp or anything.
I just didn't believe in fighting. Which sort of made
my friend, Albert, nuts.
"I don't know why you're afraid to fight," Albert said after I pinned him
again during one of our regular wrestling matches. "You're the
biggest guy in the school. I don't think anybody could beat you."
"Chris could, maybe," I said. "And Chuck. I wouldn't want to fight Chuck,
either."
"Yeah, but Chuck's your friend," Albert argued. "Chris is the only one
you'd have to worry about, and I think you could take him if you get him
down on the ground and sit on him."
"I don't know," I said. "I don't like Chris, but I don't have a reason to
fight him."
"Who needs a reason?" Albert said. "Fight him because he's a creep."
Albert had a point. In retrospect, I can see why
Chris was the way he was -- troubled childhood
and all of that. But from the limited perspective of
the sixth grade, the only thing that mattered was
what we saw and understood. And we saw and
understood that Chris was a creep. But somehow,
that wasn't enough for me. At least, it wasn't
enough to risk the pain -- and possible
humiliation -- of fighting him.
"OK, let's say I fight him and beat him," I said.
"Chris will still be a creep. Only now he'll be a
mad creep. I don't think that's going to help any."
"Maybe not," Albert said. "But at least he'll know
that you're tougher than him."
And that's what it always boiled down to:
who is tougher. That's important to some boys,
I guess, but it wasn't important to me. It just
seemed like a stupid reason to get your nose
bloody. Which is why I never got around to
fighting Chris. In fact, I made it all the way
through grade school without fighting anyone. Almost.
Albert and I were walking home from school on
the last day of sixth grade when we saw David
pushing around Steven, Albert's skinny,
scrawny third grade brother. Life hadn't been
kind to David. Nor had those of us who were
his age, which may be why he was taking
out his frustrations on someone half his size.
But I didn't stop to think about the sociological
implications of David's actions. I just reacted --
quickly and physically -- to perceived creepiness.
It wasn't much of a fight, really. Although we were
the same age, I had about the same size advantage
over David as he had over Steven. I pulled him off the
smaller boy and pushed him to the ground. He
stood up and I pushed him down again. This
process was repeated several times until
David finally got the point. He stayed on the
ground and told me to leave him alone.
"OK," I said. "But if I ever catch you picking on
little kids again, especially Steven..."
I didn't even have to finish the threat. He understood.
"I thought you didn't believe in fighting," Albert
said as we walked away.
"I don't," I said. "But I don't believe in letting
kids get picked on either -- especially when
they're like family. And I guess I don't believe
in that more than I don't believe in fighting."
I still feel that way. While I hate conflict, it's
unfortunately true that we live in a world in
which we have to be prepared to take a stand
from time to time -- physically and otherwise.
I'm not talking about going after people just
because we don't like them, or because we
want to prove that we are tougher than them.
I'm talking about defending ourselves and
others -- especially those who are incapable
of defending themselves -- from bullies, thugs
and creeps. And that's something we can all believe in.
Joseph Walker
valuescom@juno.com
Write Joseph and let him know what you thought of his story!
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Joseph Walker has been writing professionally since
1980, when he left college to join the staff of a daily
metropolitan newspaper. For 10 years -- including
six as the paper's TV columnist and critic -- he was
part of the mainstream media, and was painfully
aware of the overwhelming negativity of contemporary
journalism. Joe says, "Nobody was looking for real
solutions to the problems society was facing; they
were just looking for someone or something to blame
the problems on." So in 1990 Joe began writing
ValueSpeak, a weekly syndicated column that
attempts to look at contemporary issues from the
perspective of traditional values. Joe and his wife,
Anita, are parents of five children, and one grandchild.
You'll love his new book, "How Can you Mend a
Broken Spleen!" Ordering is simple and fast at the
following Amazon address:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1573453005/qid=972961681/sr=1-6/straighfromthe0a
AOL Users click here: How To Mend A Broken Spleen
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Reader Feedback!
Jaye Lewis' poem is very beautiful. I am not an American, I am
Canadian, but it rings true for everyone. I continue to pray for all
of you there--We truly are not alone!
Kathleen
kdahl@lib.uwo.ca
********
Dear Michael,
I just have to thank you for publishing "We Are Not Alone." You have given
me much encouragement. I am so grateful to Lynelle Dawson for introducing
me to your site. I've received some wonderful emails in response to this
poem. One woman is sending a copy to NYC Firefighters.
It has been a difficult month for all of us in this country, but for me as a
writer, it was as if my heart was silent. As though the words were within
reach, but I could not touch them. I can't express to you what it means to
me as a Christian to have access to a site like yours. You have ministered
to me, as I sought to find the "where" in all of this.
Jaye Lewis
jlewis@smyth.net
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Thought For The Day:
"It is not a crime to be rich, nor a virtue to be poor.
The sin lies in hoarding wealth and keeping it
from circulating freely to all who need it." -- Charles Fillmore
Verse for the Day:
"You will be made rich in every way so that you
can be generous on every occasion...your generosity
will result in thanksgiving to God." 2 Corinthians 9:11
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"It's hard to sleep on a strange pillow."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
"If men bore children, there would only be one
born in each family."
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"When you're playing against a stacked deck,
compete even harder. Show the world how much
you'll fight for the winner's circle. If you do,
someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh
pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards
will be stacked in your favor." --Pat Riley
Deep Thought For The Day:
"We can never see ourselves as others see us.
Even the mirror shows us in reverse."
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REQUESTS:
Please pray for my wife. She had a mole removed off her foot. They are
going to send the mole off to be tested. My wife is scared. The doctor
said it is probably nothing, but please pray for the Lords will.
Thank you and Lord Bless all of you.
Montie Hickey
montieh@msn.com
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_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / HeartTouchers@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no
\_\/\ \ longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
\_\/ live in the body I live for the Son of God, who
loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2:20
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