Originally Posted by
Jacopo
The Empty Egg
>>>
>>>Author Unknown
>>>
>>> _____
>>>
>>>
>>>Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of
>>>12 he
>>>was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher,
>>>Doris
>>>Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his
>>>seat,
>>>drool, and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly
>>>and
>>>distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of
>>>his
>>>brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his
>>>teacher.
>>>One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a
>>>consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris
>>>said
>>>to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair
>>>to
>>>him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems.
>>>Why,
>>>there is a five year gap between his age and that of the other
>>>students."
>>>Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband
>>>spoke.
>>>"Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby.
>>>It
>>>would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of
>>>this
>>>school. We know he really likes it here." Doris sat for a long
>>>time
>>>after they had left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its
>>>coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize
>>>with the
>>>Forresters. After all, their only child had a terminal illness.
>>>But it
>>>wasn't fair to keep him in her class. She had 18 other youngsters
>>>to
>>>teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, he would never
>>>learn
>>>to read and write. Why waste any more time trying?
>>>As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here I am
>>>complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that poor
>>>family,
>>>she thought. Lord, please help me to be more patient with Jeremy.
>>>From
>>>that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his
>>>blank
>>>stares. Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg
>>>behind
>>>him.
>>>"I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loud enough for the whole
>>>class
>>>to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris' face burned red.
>>>She>
>>>stammered, "Wh-why that's very nice, Jeremy. N-now please take
>>>your
>>>seat."
>>>Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of
>>>Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize
>>>the
>>>idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a
>>>large
>>>plastic egg. "Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this
>>>home and
>>>bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life.
>>>Do you
>>>understand?"
>>>"Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded enthusiastically-all
>>>except
>>>for Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He
>>>did
>>>not even make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had
>>>said
>>>about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the
>>>assignment?
>>>Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to
>>>them.
>>>That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the
>>>landlord
>>>and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that,
>>>she
>>>still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse, and prepare a
>>>vocabulary
>>>test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning
>>>Jeremy's
>>>parents.
>>>The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking
>>>as
>>>they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's
>>>desk.
>>>After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the
>>>eggs. In
>>>the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is
>>>certainly a
>>>sign of new life," she said. "When plants peek through the ground,
>>>we
>>>know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her
>>>arm.
>>>"That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out. The next egg
>>>contained a
>>>plastic butterfly, which looked very real. Doris held it up. "We
>>>all
>>>know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful
>>>butterfly.
>>>Yes, that's new life, too." Little Judy smiled proudly and said,
>>>"Miss
>>>Miller, that one is mine." Next, Doris found a rock with moss on
>>>it. She
>>>explained that moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the
>>>back of
>>>the classroom, "My daddy helped me," he beamed.
>>>Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty.
>>>Surely
>>>it must be Jeremy's she thought, and of course, he did not
>>>understand
>>>her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his
>>>parents.
>>>Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg
>>>aside
>>>and reached for another. Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller,
>>>aren't
>>>you going to talk about my egg?" Flustered, Doris replied, "But
>>>Jeremy,
>>>your egg is empty." He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes,
>>>but
>>>Jesus' tomb was empty, too."
>>>Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, "Do you
>>>know
>>>why the tomb was empty?" "Oh, yes," Jeremy said, "Jesus was killed
>>>and
>>>put in there. Then His Father raised Him up."
>>>The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the
>>>schoolyard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely
>>>away.
>>>Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at
>>>the
>>>mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket.......
>>>all
>>>of them empty.
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