“That Story Lady”

Angela Scott, Author – Storyteller – Ventriloquist

Hope Made by Noble Hands and a Heart of Gold

February 6, 2010

When I attended a convention out of state last year, I remember longing for hope. With a few spare minutes between workshops, I managed a ten minute stroll through the university bookstore.

In a cozy corner of the bookstore, my eyes were pleasantly surprised when I saw two leather wing back chairs facing an old fashioned wooden cupboard and an oval braided rug on the floor. A spiral staircase to my left led to the second floor.

When I sat in one of the leather wing back chairs, it seemed as if I was in my own cozy home, which was not within driving distance.

Enjoying that abbreviated moment, my eyes focused on a small basket positioned on the floor at the base of the staircase. Filled with beautiful colors of dish cloths made of soft yarn and tied with ribbon, the price tag caught my attention.

“Hope Made,” was the name of the item with the purchase price listed at the bottom portion of the tag. The name is what I remember rather than the price. This was different than all the other items I had seen on display in the bookstore.

Reaching to touch them, I confess I was curious. Immediately walking toward the cash register I felt compelled to ask about the story of an unlikely place for dish cloths to be available for sale in a college bookstore.

Graciously answering my questions, the manager told the story. Proceeds from sales of the dish cloths would support the efforts of a co-worker to adopt an orphaned baby. An anonymous benefactor had hand woven yarn into dish cloths and donated them for sale to support the financial aspect of the adoption.

Holding the dish cloths in my hands, it felt as if I held a moment of heaven. Soft and comforting, it seemed like my Aunt Bea was looking over my shoulders with a bright, shining smile on her face. Everything my Aunt Bea did was “Hope Made.”

An ordinary item such as a set of dish cloths mixed together in my mind with memories of my own family. As I stood in the checkout line of the bookstore, alligator shaped tears poured down my face.

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” My purchase of the handmade dish cloths was a minimal contribution, however, it would count in the mission to help another family that I may never meet.

 

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Angela Scott is an author who diligently works to encourage and inspire you, and those with whom you live and work to continually find hope.

“Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.”

All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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