FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ THE WOMAN WITH THE ROSE ~ 05 February 2012

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

 

THE WOMAN WITH THE ROSE

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City.

He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding.

Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel."

So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened:

A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured. Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl.

A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat.. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?"

The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!"

It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. "Tell me whom you love," Houssaye wrote, "And I will tell you who you are.

 

[ConorMacNessa]

Feeling puny after the latest round - hope to get some results when I see the pulmonologist next Thursday.

I'll be singing in the choir tomorrow - my voice is in horrible shape, but it's my daughter's last Sunday with the choir before her six-month mission to Kenya. She leaves Friday evening from Dulles.

Her Mother and I are truly proud of the work she has undertaken but are fearful for her safety in that part of the world. I'm working on a prayer thread for her that will be posted soon.



Etiam non princeps sed usque ad genua, Principis Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[oldteen]

Evenin' HJ! *hugs*

Wouldn't it be amazing to know such a thing was possible in this day and age? So touching!

[oldteen]

What a brave thing for her to do. You must be extremely proud of her!

Give her a big hug and best wishes from me. May Angels be with her until she returns!

[Kathy in Alaska]

A Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours, HJ.

This story does warm the heart...so true about today.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks very much, Teenie! The Prayer thread is up now.



Etiam non princeps sed usque ad genua, Principis Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kathy in Alaska]

So sorry you are feeling puny. We are expecting that you pass your tests on Thursday.

Glad you are singing.

Prayers of peace for you and the family, and prayers for your daughter’s safety and success in Kenya.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hope you have a bumper crop season. Just the right amount of sun and rain for a change.

[Kathy in Alaska]

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks very much, Kathy.

My daughter joined our adult Chancel Choir when she was in 7th Grade. By then she had already sung for a season with the county's Middle School Honors Chorus. She has a lovely soprano voice and is well-loved by our fellow choristers. She has sung with the choir since 2001, except for the four years she was away at school. She returned this season and it's as though she never left.

I have sung with our choir for over a decade and before that cantored for many years at the 7:30 a.m. Latin Mass at our parish. It has meant a lot to me to have Mary singing with us, and with me, in this choir. We all look forward to her return next September for the new season.



Etiam non princeps sed usque ad genua, Principis Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, teen. *HUGS*

Lots of snow. The roof shovelers came. Made HUGE piles on the ground. I am so glad they didn’t come as scheduled yesterday. I was almost done shoveling the area I need to get out of the garage when they came. Because of the snow they dumped on the deck and beside the garage, they cleaned those areas. Sweet deal as both places were pretty deep before they got here. In the meantime, my folks canceled their appointments. Our street is done to one lane, and really deep. Cul-de-sacs are last on the list for plowing. They really need a city blower in here to blow the snow up further in folks yards. We are going to have snow all summer. LOL!

Hope you had a good day, with not too many yuckies?

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless our military men and women who have given their all.

Thanks, unique.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and your family.

Hope you had a nice Saturday. Thanks for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Are you the planner and preparer for these recitals?

[mylife]

Mountian Mississippi Queen

[oldteen]

I don't know how you deal with all that snow! Shoveling it can really be a hazard to your health! I'd say canceling any appointments would be a must!

We were excited when a snowman lasted 3 days here. Yours would most likely last until...well...June!

Day wasn't bad at all...only minor yuckies! :) Thanks for asking!

[mylife]

Beck Bogart and Appice~ Superstition.

[mylife]

Hawkwind~ Angels of Light

[Kathy in Alaska]

This is the most snow I’ve had to deal with...we’ve never had so much on the lawn. And I don’t remember ever having the pile of snow in the middle stay there so long. There has been so much snow this year that the snow dumps are full...so...the pile takes up almost the whole cul-de-sac, with just barely a truck’s width driving room around it. Any emergency vehicle is gonna have a rough time.

Glad the yuckies were minor.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, my, and good Lord’s Day to you.

You and Pooks have a good Saturday?