WheelMan's Place - Fiction - "The Smile of God"

I sat in my wheelchair looking out over the beach from the hotel balcony. The cool, pre-dawn breezes brushed my face, and its brackishness lingered upon my lips. My family and I had been on vacation for nearly two weeks, and waking up early to watch the sunrise had become a cherished ritual for me.

Our home back in Georgia was surrounded by a thick forest of pines and sweetgums, so I was normally confined to their sheltered glimpse of the world. But here both the land and the sky were spread out before me, and I could drink in the vastness of nature in all her glory.

I gazed at the few remaining stars twinkling like tiny fireflies in the waning night sky, and imagined myself soaring among them on an endless journey of discovery. The heavens held the infinite possibilities of life, and I yearned to go and uncover their secrets. I wondered if up there...somewhere...I might find the answers that I sought...

The glass door opened behind me, and I turned to see my Grandma stepping onto the balcony. She pulled up a chair, and settled her stiff body into it with a sigh. She took in the scene before us with a glance, then looked back at me with a knowing smile.

"Have you found what you're looking for, Baby?" She still called me Baby, even though I was now 17. And it stirred up the same warm feelings within me as it had as a child.

"I don't know Grandma. I just wish I knew why I'm here."

"What do you mean? You're a child of God. He has plans for us all!" The anger in her eyes surprised me, and I dropped my head in shame.

"I-I'm sorry, Grandma. I didn't mean--"

She hugged me, patting me gently on the head. "No, I'm sorry Stacey. I just hate to see my granddaughter doubting herself so." She paused, gathering her thoughts before speaking again.

"Honey, there are hidden truths in every one of God's creations. Open your heart to what you see, and you'll hear them all."

I stared at the indigo waters as they stretched beyond the far horizon, and I marveled at the beauty of its dancing waves. I was disturbed by the foamy crests which often broke the sea's dreamy rhythm, but noticed that these renegade waves quickly flowed inland, crashing harmlessly upon the sandy shore. In many ways it reminded me of my life. I too had faced many unexpected storms along the way, and had very nearly drowned in the sea of despair. But I always held on, until eventually they passed, and all was well again.

My eyes followed the ocean until it vanished into the distance, and I rejoiced at the thought of it flowing over the earth, bringing life to a world made of dust. The first light of day appeared, turning the ocean's surface into a field of sparkling jewels, and I gasped at its brilliant spectacle. So much beauty, so many possibilities...

My Grandma stood, drawing her shawl around her sagging shoulders. "You know, when I was very young, my father told me, 'The sunlight is like the gleam from the smile of God, and when it shines down upon us, we know we have His blessings.'" She grasped my hand and kissed my forehead. "You are one of His children Stacey, and that means you're special too. Never doubt that for a second!" She left me alone with my thoughts then. I considered her words for a while, and slowly I began to understand.

Maybe the majestic scene before me was a testament to the unlimited boundaries of Life. Neither race, nor sex, nor physical ability mattered. We were all participants in a far greater plan, and we each shared equally in its grand rewards. I could do whatever I wanted with my life. There were no boundaries!

Night quickly retreated and the sun climbed higher in the sky. I watched a few people stroll along the beach, stooping sometimes to pick up a stray seashell, and wondered how many of them knew what a wondrous gift it was to simply be alive. I had seen people look down at me with pity in their eyes so many times that I wanted to scream. But I also took comfort in the knowledge that it was they who needed pity. They were victims of a society that paid little heed to the lessons of nature. Hopefully one day, they would understand too...

Sunlight crept across the beach and up the walls of the hotel. Finally, the radiant beams reached the small balcony where I sat, stroking my face. I smiled in response, because I knew now for sure...

...that I was truly blessed.