Flash Back to 1979

Back in 1979 The Friend seemed to be much briefer than it is today. Today I read a story from May 1979 titled, The Orange Potholders by Rosemary Sakajian. It was about a young girl who lived on a Indian Reservations. She wanted to buy her mom a pair of orange potholders, but she didn't have any money. She saw sign posted adverstising a scooter race that was going to award the winner $5. She had a practice race with a boy that she considered her biggest competition. She lost and became discouraged. and sad. When she arrived home she asked her mother what to do when things go wrong. Her mother replied,

“I try to do something constructive like watering flowers, pulling weeds, or helping someone. That way I forget myself and soon the hurt passes. Doing good is like winning. Something comes back to you when you least expect it,”

So the little girl filled a bucket of water and watered a jojoba plant. On her way back she saw the boy oiling his scooter wheels and she asked him if she could use some oil for hers. He told her it was all gone and challenged her to a race the next day. Again she lost and became discouraged then watered the jojoba plant again. She broke off a seedpod and noticed it was very oily. She gathered a bunch of pods, took them home and oiled her scooter with it. The next day they raced and she won and was able to buy her mother the potholders.

What a great lesson! How true it is that if we find something productive to do with our time when we are sad and discouraged, that productivity can pay off in the future.