Grandchildren grow up, and grandparents grow older. It became harder for Grandma and Grandpa to keep up the garden, so they made it a little smaller. There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy.
Then one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was watch from his lawn chair as the vegetables grew and the roses bloomed. Summer slowly faded, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest.
It was a lonely winter for Grandma. She sat near the window, looking out at the yard and wondering if she should plant a garden in the spring. It would be hard to care for it by herself. When spring came, she planted only a little garden.
One sunny day in early summer, Grandma heard a commotion in the front yard and looked out the window to see a frightening sight. A gigantic swarm of bees filled the air between two tall trees. There were thousands of bees in the air, so many that the swarm reached the treetops! The buzzing sound was tremendous.
Grandma watched as the bees made their way into a hole high up in one of the trees. Before long, every one of those bees had disappeared into its new home.
Grandma wondered what in the world she could do. Should she hire someone to get rid of the bees? That would cost more than she could afford. She decided to wait and think it over.
During the next few days, the bees were busy minding their own business. Grandma could always see a few bees buzzing in and out and around the opening high in the tree. Before long, she decided the bees weren’t bothering anyone, so she went about her business and didn’t give them another thought.
That summer, Grandma’s little garden grew and grew. The neighbors would stop to admire her huge crop of vegetables and puzzle over why their own gardens weren’t doing as well. No matter, because Grandma had enough to give some away. Of course, everyone who came to visit was treated to a meal of good things from the garden.
One day, Grandma’s brother Frank visited from Arizona. As Grandma made Frank a delicious lunch of squash pancakes and homemade applesauce, she told him the story about the swarm of bees.
Frank said, “In Arizona, the farmers often hire beekeepers to set up beehives near their fields. The bees pollinate the crops and help them to grow.”
That was when Grandma realized that her bees had helped with the garden all summer.
“So that’s why my little garden had such a big crop!” she exclaimed.
From that time on, Grandma always believed that since Grandpa couldn’t be there with her to help that summer, he had sent the bees to take his place and make Grandma’s little garden grow and grow.
Barbara Allman
“If the bees make honey, do butterflies make butter?”
Reprinted by permission of Bil Keane.
The Flying Fish
Your big opportunity might be right where you are now.
Napoleon Hill
One summer my family and I went on a vacation to Sunriver, Oregon. We rented a cabin and a small powerboat at Big Lava Lake and were ready for a week of serious fishing. Our first morning, we packed a big picnic lunch, fishing poles and Mom’s camera. She loves to take a picture of the proud person with his or her catch, a rare thing in our family of unlucky anglers. We went down to the lake with high hopes of catching “the big one.” Little did we know just how big our catch that day would be.
It was a really bright, sunny morning. The sky was pale blue and full of big, fluffy white clouds. The blue-green lake sat in the middle of the surrounding mountains like a spoonful of gravy in the middle of your mashed potatoes. The entire area, including the lakeshore, was covered with huge, dark green pine trees, which filled the air with their beautiful smell. You could see their giant reflections on the quiet surface of the lake.
We motored as far away from the other boats on the lake as possible. After anchoring the boat, we set up our fishing lines in five different directions. Then we opened up our picnic lunch, passed out sandwiches and started to relax.
“There’s nothing like a peaceful day on the lake,” Dad said, enjoying his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Your Uncle Pat would say, ‘The family that fishes together, stays together.’ What a beautiful day.”
After a while, we realized that the reason our end of the lake was so uncrowded was because our end had no fish.
“Hey, how come we always seem to pick the side of the lake where we’re never gonna catch anything?” my brother Ethan asked.
“Just be patient. You guys will catch something. You always do,” Mom said, trying to encourage us.
“Something big enough for a family of five would be nice,” grinned my brother Colin. “I think I’ll just relax while I wait for those big fish down there, just lining up for my bait . . .”
The loud buzz of a small plane overhead interrupted him. Above the engine noise, Mom cried out, “Look, everybody. This will be so exciting. It’s a pontoon plane that’s about to land on the water!”
“No, it’s not, Trish. That pilot’s in trouble!” Dad shouted.
Dad was right. The plane that Mom thought was able to float on the water was actually a plane that needed to make an emergency landing, and the pilot had chosen our lake to land on! Within seconds, the plane crashed on its belly, as though it were doing a giant cannonball. Splash!!! Huge waves filled the lake. The nose of the plane was pointing downward—the plane was sinking fast!
Dad, who knew right from the beginning that the pilot was in trouble, immediately tried to start the motor of our boat. The boat jerked forward, throwing our bits of sandwiches on the deck and tangling up all of our fishing lines. Food and fishhooks were flying everywhere! We were hurrying and scurrying as our parents called out commands and our family charged into action. At first, it was like a comedy movie. But my parents were great. They kept their cool. “Everybody stay calm! Don’t stand up! Pull in your lines! You guys sit down! Grab the extra life jacket! Let’s go! Let’s hustle! This is an emergency!”
Dad gave the engine full throttle, and its ten horsepower puttered as fast as it could. We only had to go a few hundred feet, but it seemed to take forever. We could see the pilot—a gray-haired man wearing a checkered shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots. He had climbed onto the plane’s wing while the nose was sinking and the tail was pointing straight up. He was standing on the wing, holding an old brown suitcase, waiting for us to come to his rescue. He seemed so calm, just standing there, like he was waiting outside at a bus stop.
When we finally reached the pilot, Mom grabbed a life jacket and threw it out onto the water for him. By that time, the plane had sunk. The pilot was clinging for dear life to his suitcase, which he seemed to be using as a life preserver. He seemed to have difficulty swimming and couldn’t get to the life jacket that was only five feet away from him. After several tries, Mom and Dad hoisted the pilot by the belt loops of his jeans onto our boat. He was safely on board.
“Oh my gosh. . . . Thank you, thank you!” The pilot’s face was frozen with fear. “My goodness, thank you. . . . My name’s Wave, Wave Young. . . . I’ve been flying for over forty years . . . ” he stammered. He seemed out of breath and really shaken up.
“Hi, I’m Mike; this is my wife, Trish; our children, Megan, Ethan and Colin,” Dad said, trying to put the pilot at ease.
“I knew I had engine trouble and knew I was coming down, so I tried to land on the lake. A couple years back, another pilot landed in those beautiful pines and started a big forest fire. I didn’t want to do the same!” Wave’s voice was shaking.
“Did you say your name is Wave? I can see why. . . . ”
“Colin!” I whispered under my breath. We all laughed a little nervously, even Wave.
“Well, thank God you people were here. I don’t know what I’d have done without you. I was in such shock I couldn’t even swim! Thank God you were here to rescue me.”
Once he was comfortably seated on the boat, we rushed the pilot ashore to let the waiting paramedics and other emergency crews take care of him. Even thou
gh we still had rental time left on the boat, we turned it in early because, as Dad said, “I think we’re done fishing for the day.” We said our good-byes, and as a crowd formed, we decided to sneak out of the way, get into our car and head back for the day.
“I’m really proud of you kids. You were terrific. You handled that emergency really well,” Dad told us, his face beaming with pride.
“What do you think you guys learned from all this today?” Mom asked as she turned back toward us in the car.
“We were on the wrong side of the lake again for fishing, but this time it turned out good,” Ethan answered shyly.
“We learned how important it is to be ready for emergencies,” Colin added.
“And you never know when God will use you to help someone,” I said to my family. “We were there for a reason. We were the only people on that side of the lake. The pilot was so scared that he couldn’t swim. If we had gone to the other side of the lake, we couldn’t have reached him in time to save him.”
That night we saw video coverage of Wave’s plane crash on the evening news. Amazingly, Mom had also snapped an awesome picture of Wave standing on the wing of his plane, right before we reached him. She gave the photo to the local paper, which printed it the next morning on the front page.
We still need to frame that photo of “the big one.” We could hang it somewhere in our home to keep our memory of that day alive. And maybe we wouldn’t have a picture of a fish, but we would have a picture of a pilot we fished out—and that would sure be the biggest “flying fish” anyone had ever seen!
Megan Niedermeyer, age 12
with Killeen Anderson
Mother Says . . .
Throughout the centuries, mothers have given their children plenty of good advice and notable quotes. Here’s just a small sampling:
PAUL REVERE’S MOTHER: “I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!”
MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY’S MOTHER: “I don’t mind your having a garden, Mary, but does it have to be growing under your bed?”
MONA LISA’S MOTHER: “After all the money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that’s the biggest smile you can give us?”
HUMPTY DUMPTY’S MOTHER: “Humpty, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Noooo!”
COLUMBUS’S MOTHER: “I don’t care what you discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!”
BABE RUTH’S MOTHER: “Babe, how many times have I told you—quit playing ball in the house! That’s the third broken window this week!”
MICHELANGELO’S MOTHER: “Mike, can’t you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?”
NAPOLEON’S MOTHER: “All right, Napoleon. If you aren’t hiding your report card inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and prove it!”
CUSTER’S MOTHER: “Now, George, remember what I told you—don’t go biting off more than you can chew!”
ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S MOTHER: “Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can’t you just wear a baseball cap like all the other kids?”
BARNEY’S MOTHER: “I realize strained plums are your favorite, Barney, but you’re starting to look a little purple.”
MARY’S MOTHER: “I’m not upset that your lamb followed you to school, Mary, but I would like to know how he got a better grade than you.”
BATMAN’S MOTHER: “It’s a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?”
GOLDILOCKS’S MOTHER: “I’ve got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?”
LITTLE MISS MUFFET’S MOTHER: “Well, all I’ve got to say is if you don’t get off your tuffet and start cleaning your room, there’ll be a lot more spiders around here!”
ALBERT EINSTEIN’S MOTHER: “But Albert, it’s your senior picture. Can’t you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something . . . ?”
GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOTHER: “George, the next time I catch you throwing money across the Potomac, you can kiss your allowance good-bye!”
JONAH’ SMOTHER: “That’s a nice story, Jonah, but now tell me where you’ve really been for the last three days.”
SUPERMAN’S MOTHER: “Clark, your father and I have discussed it, and we’ve decided you can have your own telephone line. Now will you quit spending so much time in all those phone booths?”
And finally . . . THOMAS EDISON’S MOTHER: “Of course, I’m proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to bed!”
Martha Bolton
What I’ve Learned So Far
When you’re confused, sit down and think it through.
Ignore people who put you down.
Never, ever, ever give up on yourself.
Andrea Gwyn, age 12
If nothing is in the refrigerator, don’t eat dog food.
Never cheat because it’s not worth it.
Samantha Jean Fritz, age 9
When your dad or mom slams the door when they come home from work, it is best to stay out of their way.
If you don’t care what grades you get and do badly in school, the main words in your vocabulary will be, “Do you want fries with that?”
Michelle Nicole Rodgers, age 10
Never ask your dad to help you with a math problem. It will turn out to be a three-hour lesson.
If you have a problem or secret, share it with your mom.
Katie Adnoff, age 13
Check if there is toilet paper before you sit down.
Don’t make a bad impression on your neighbors when you first move in.
Laugh at your parents’ jokes.
Natalie Citro, age 12
When my parents are talking, not to interrupt but wait until later. Unless someone is bleeding or something.
Alle Vitrano, age 8
Read the book before you have to go in front of the class to give a report.
Never leave your little sister alone with your stuff.
Amanda Smith, age 12
If you wear a child’s extra large in clothes, an adult small is too big.
If someone dies, think about the good, not the bad. The bad will make you feel worse.
Don’t judge people by their looks. Someone could be the ugliest person in the world and still be nice.
Ashlee Gray, age 9
When your mom is mad, hide the stuff that you don’t want thrown away.
Katie Fata, age 10
When you tell a lie, you have to keep telling a lie.
When your parents get divorced, you have to move on.
Ronnie Evans, age 10
When you take off your sweatshirt, your shirt comes up.
Ben Hall, age 10
You only have one life. So be careful.
When your friends do something stupid, you don’t have to follow.
If you think something will taste bad, it will. If you think something will taste good, it might.
Maria McLane, age 9
If you write somebody’s name wrong, it makes them feel bad.
Benjamin Mitchell, age 10
A promise is a promise.
Ask before you touch something that isn’t yours.
If you make someone cry, say that you’re sorry.
You’re never too big to ask for help.
Being nice can get you somewhere.
People who do mean things to you are not your friends.
Cats are not water-resistant.
Don’t ride your bike on ice.
Never tell stuff to other friends that another friend said.
Never, ever say “I hate you.”
Take turns using stuff.
Don’t use the front brake on your bike first.
If you slow down and take your time, your work is better.
Don’t smart off to the teacher.
You will get th
ere just as fast if you don’t push and shove, and no one will be mad at you.
Don’t tease a girl if she is wearing boots.
Wear comfortable shoes on field days.
Don’t bother Chad.
Mrs. Pat Wheeler’s fourth-grade class
Don’t get hit in the stomach right after you eat.
Don’t ever unplug the computer.
You do have a dream. . . .
Never run with your shoelaces untied.
Never throw overhand when playing egg toss.
Miss Tracey Alvey’s fourth-grade class
Never sleep with gum in your mouth.
Ashley Parole, age 12
Don’t go in somebody’s backyard that you don’t know, especially if it says “Beware of Dog.”
Nedim Pajevic, age 13
You don’t have to win a race to feel good about yourself; all you have to do is finish. Never, ever give up.
Becky Rymer, age 12
Don’t cough or sneeze in other people’s faces, especially if you don’t know them.
Karen Perdue, age 12
Pain is not good.
Girls are more important than you think.
Philip Maupin, age 13
Don’t bug your mom when she’s going to have a baby.
Elvis Hernandez, age 12
Life is like a “choose your own ending” book—you can take whatever adventures you want.
Erika Towles, age 12
Keep your room dirty so your mom will be afraid to come in, and then she won’t take your stuff.
Geoff Rill, age 12
When your mom’s on a diet, don’t eat chocolate in front of her.
Corey Schiller, age 12
Don’t mess with a kid bigger than you are.
David Neira, age 12
When my teacher gets mad, she really gets mad.
The funnier you are, the better life is.
Lauren Aitch, age 10
Moving was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
I can’t hide my lima beans in my sister’s milk cup.
Evan de Armond, age 12
Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul: 101 Stories of Courage, Hope and Laughter Page 25
