Pam's Peaceful Place

PAM’S PEACEFUL PLACE By Curtis Johnson WE HAD A BOUNTIFUL GARDEN FILLED WITH SWEET CORN AND PEAS WE HAD TASTED GOOD VEGETABLES BEFORE, BUT NONE SO GOOD AS THESE IN AN AREA OF SOUTH EASTERN WISCONSIN, JUST ACROSS THE ILLINOIS STATE LINE, WE DISCOVERED A PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE WERE UNUSUALLY DEAR AND KIND OUR NEIGHBORS WERE RELAXED AND UNSTRESSED; PEOPLE OF GOODWILL. IT WAS A CALM AND GENTLE LAND OF COWS AND CHEESE, SMALL FARMS, AND ROLLING HILLS THOUGH ONLY FOR A WHILE, AWAY FROM THE WINDY CITY, WE MADE THIS OUR HAPPY HOME. LIKE THE PHEASANTS AND QUAILS WHO ROAMED, WE WERE PLACED THERE THOUGH NOT FOR LONG ALTHOUGH OUR STAY IN THIS QUIET AND SETTLED LAND WAS BRIEF, AND SO SHORT A SEASON; THE GODLY PEOPLE WE MET AND LOVED, IMPRESSED OUR LIVES FAR BEYOND HUMAN REASON WE WORKED WITH A MINISTRY FOR ADDICTS WHOSE LIVES WERE DEEPLY TROUBLED AND TORN. THESE LADIES OF THE STREET, LONGING FOR A BREAK, NEEDED A RETREAT FROM BAD SEED SOWN. IN A FARM HOUSE ESTABLISHED BY LOVE, LADY ROSES BLOOMED, IN THE SHADOWS OF THE THORNS. IN THIS QUIET AND HUMBLE COMMUNITY, A TRUE PLACE OF REFUGE, OUR FIRST CHILD WAS BORN. THIS IS WHERE OUR FAMILY BEGAN. IT WAS PAM’S PEACEFUL PLACE, AWAY FROM SIRENS AND LOUD HORNS. SOMEDAY, WE SHALL RETURN TO VISIT OLD FRIENDS, AND HAVE A BITE OF THAT WHITE SWEET CORN. cj081107