Elegant Rose

Tuesday 17 December 2013

A Winters Tale....

The Little Match Girl

It was biting cold, and the falling snow,
Which filled a poor little match girl’s heart with woe,
Who was bareheaded and barefooted, as she went along the street,
Crying, “Who’ll buy my matches? for I want pennies to buy some meat!”



"Pull up chair and pop on some cocoa....
~ for I have a tale to tell"......
Not a tale by Hans Christian Anderson.
But a true story never the less...




A Winters Tale.
A true story..
Last week I was lucky enough to be squeezed in
 for a late appointment for
my' flu jab'..... 
Relief!



Like sooo many ~
I had been hit hard over the Christmas period with the dreaded 'lurgy'
flu last year and I must confess Christmas and New year passed me pretty 
much by....





~ Leaving the surgery I was told there was nothing to pay...
I was after all a carer for my Mama?
I protested to say I wasn't a carer now...
~ I had lost my dear, Mum some years before......
~ I was told "it was fine I was still on the system as one"
and for this the flu jab was free to me..
~ Thinking in my minds eye, this was an lovely act of kindness.....
I thought to my little self!
"Busker or Christmas bucket, you will have my Ten pound note!!



~ Rushing I am always  seen to be rushing...
I carried on to work...
~ But stopped in my track as  there on the corner of  the busy shopping 
street was a young, so very young girl....
Not selling little matches, but the 'Big Issue'!
~ Now any one who may know me well, would know that I think, not having a home
 is one of the cruellest and saddest things not to have...
In fact I would go as far as to say
" That this charity is soo very close to my heart"!
I watched a program a while ago now, where celebrities, such as Coronation street's
Les Battersby and others battled it out on the streets of our cities for
 a few nights in the cold, cold winters nights....
Boy, they struggled!
~ and some quit before the program was finished airing!
cold, achy, hungry and lonely!




Oops please revert your eyes and head to see this picture!
Thank you x
( I need Miss Olivia to help me with
 photograph 'swiffle' rounds and alas she is not here, just now)
Hehe!



~Now where were we?
Ooh yes....
The little girl selling the 'Big issue' no word of a lie
looked around twelve years of age...
~She proceeded to tell me that she was in fact..
" sixteen and married and having a child"!
~ Her Father had just passed away and her husband was leaving her...
She had the saddest brown eyes I have ever seen...
she looked too young to be broken, by life and circumstances of  her culture!
~ I gave her my ten pounds and a little more from a' whip' around in my purse!
I was more than happy to do so...

I would love to think she told her story to others that day in town...

~ as she sold the magazine...
( I am sure she did)
In fact  I would go as far as to say" I hope she jolly well did"!
and for those who could 'spare' a little kindness....
Well as the saying goes...
" This goes a long, long way"



I hope you didn't mind me telling you my
 Winters Tale,
The video by David Essex
I included this because my Mama just loved this song...
she said it 
"Reminded her of our own sadnesses"
many Christmas's ago...
and that we were not alone with grief at Christmas time...
It could happen and did happen at any time...
There would be others who would draw their curtains to
the world like us...
~ while their hearts healed from sadness....
God bless them all.....








( Post card, above
 " Be still and listen the earth is sleeping, 
by Karen from
beautiful' Moon light and hares 'blog)

~ Talking of more kindness!
Last week I received a lovely, lovely parcel ...









~ From my lovely blog friend, Yvonne.
From 'Winter Moon' blog.....
Yvonne's writes such wonderful, interesting posts!
  Full to the brim of  black and white Nostalgia!
~ captured mostly in movies of past times...
 It's always a delight to read!
http://www.wintermoon.co.uk/


Thank you sooo much Yvonne!
~ A girl can never have to many kitties, or kitty ornaments...
~And I LOVE the language of Flowers and of course my little black cat
necklace!
And the post cards, sooo pretty!







I am going to close for now
  ~ wishing you all a week full of all the trimmings 
of the season...
"Only 8 more sleeps till Christmas"!
Take time to dream, lovely blog friends...
Twinkly hugs 
"I am dedicating this post to those who have lost at Christmas time.
And  to those who find them selves lost, helpless, sick and indeed with out shelter"...
While most of the world celebrates....
You "draw your curtains in"
God bless you all...
Maria x






23 comments:

  1. Oh! My goodness Mrs Maria.....! :(
    If you ever want to break down Willie Wine....
    This is certainly the way to do it....! HeHe!
    'Sadness and Gladness in the Hour of Triumph'.
    My book deep down inside....Which should be
    written...But, alas...It never will......!

    Sometimes l wish, l could be ill....So, at least l
    can get summat free....But! No! Your perfectly well
    Willie....HeHe! My daughter always says..."My Dad,
    is never ill...But, one day he'll catch everything and
    die". (Nice).

    And Maria...Bless you...I never put money in boxes or
    tins....If someone needs it, or the help, l give it..Personally!
    Off up to my daughters next Monday, on the coach, change
    at Bristol....Always get propositioned.....Couple years ago,
    an elderly lady~~80+ asked me to take her for a drink.......
    'God! She was rough as a badgers backside'. :>).
    Then a young girl popped out from behind the Coke machine.
    Asked for a pound for a cup of tea, so l took her up to the cafe.
    Bought her tea and cake. We had a little chat....She was a student,
    no money, family, and not much else....Whether it was true or not,
    does'nt matter....I gave her a tenner, and continued my journey.....!

    Dare l say it.....
    Maria! Your comm'in from the Heart and the Soul.....Bless you and
    your dear family....May you ALL...ALL....Have a fantastic time, at this
    time of year.....And, let us not forget those, that are in sadness.......
    Who knows...I may have pert with another tenner next Monday........
    But! Who cares.....!x

    Tanti Cari e Affettuosi Auguri di Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo~~

    ReplyDelete
  2. Willie! Chuckling away here...hehe! We all of us give in lots of ways. I know...YOU most of all especially with your kindness of time to comment and never judge us blog gals! I smiled that you get 'tapped up' on the trip to see your lovely lass...Bet that journey is full of fun and laughter.....My Mama taught me many things...But the most important was to be kind! I'll never forget her for this......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Mia Mama.....Always say....
      There is Faith..Hope..and Charity....And the greatest
      of these is Charity....!
      But then...Jesus also said it to his disciples.....
      (Think mia Mamma was in the background and just overheard it) :).

      Oh! And, goodness....What's happened to every ones followers....
      They've all vanished....That Google messing about again...

      Delete
  3. Bless you sweet Maria , you are a kind , sweet, compassionate soul .
    Hugs my friend.
    Willow

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  4. Maria, what a wonderful thing to do. No-one in our so called civilised society should ever find themselves homeless. I am astounded there isnt more help so people dont have to sell Big Issue on the streets to provide for themselves. God bless you XX

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  5. Lovely thought provoking post Maria - much love x Jane

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  6. It's wonderful when a kindness gets passed on, the kindness of your surgery to you and then yours to the young girl, if only people managed to pass on a kindness shown to them it would soon spread. You're right about people feeling sad or alone at this time of year, two of the bloggers I read have lost their husbands and one a very much loved family pet. Wishing you a peaceful Christmas. xx

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  7. Dear Maria for once I am finding it difficult to comment ....chirstmas as much as I adore it stirs those achy bits of love ones gone. I always make a very determined effort to turn this about though and think of the good memories and on the other hand I'm a firm believer that those memories shouldn't be pushed to one side as they are a tribute to the ones that have passed on. As for your generous gesture and I don't mean just the monetary one but your compassion. I'm sorry these sort of circumstances make me so angry as they just shouldn't exist. I also continue constantly to be baffled at how some people out there can wallow in riches and still sleep at night fully aware that there are people who are homeless...shame on them!!! Many thanks for your comments on my previous post :-)

    keep well

    Amanda :-)

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  8. Hello dear Maria,
    This blog post proves what a wonderfully kind hearted lady you are.
    I wish there were more people like you in this world.

    A true act of kindness will never go unnoticed.

    I adore the heartbreaking story of the little match girl.

    The kitty looks quite at home amongst all your beautiful china,
    thank you for mentioning me, that's really sweet of you.

    I hope you have a perfect Christmas, you deserve it xx

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  9. Dearest heart!

    I am rushing off this morning to get to work, and I will need to come back to read this again to really UNDERSTAND....I skimmed through but I lost the meaning somewhere.....I will come back, but I just wanted to say, GOOD MORNING! Anita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ~ Dear Anita...some times i just ramble and have to kind say what's in my heart!
      I forget about my blog friends over sea's, who wouldn't know what The big Issue is...It's a charity magazine, sold on behalf of the homeless...Most people selling the mag have been home less or even worse perhaps are now...Always soo kind of you to comment....I know you are a busy, busy lady....stay well!

      Delete
  10. Love this Maria, I'm glad you used your good luck to help someone else, wish there were more like you in the world! :) x

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  11. Have a Happy Christmas, kind Maria!

    ReplyDelete
  12. ~ Thank you for all these kind comments...We are all of us givers, I know...in many ways.....It was just my own real 'take' on the now...Not a Dickensian Tale........It stayed with me all the weekend and I find my self still looking for that young lass....x

    ReplyDelete
  13. I can understand better than others what does it means all this. In my country there are many people who have lost their jobs and homes and are living at risk of poverty because of the crisis...I think that each of us must find his own way to provide and offer a help, a smile to those who suffer, who mourn , who are in need not necessarly material...You did once again a wonderful post Maria!
    Many hugs from me and merry days ahead!
    Olympia

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  14. Such a beautiful post Maria, it really resonated well with me. How beautiful of you to not just be grateful for the saving, but to pass it on to someone who needed it so desperately. I always feel sad for all the people who are homeless during these bitterly cold months and having worked with homeless people and substance abusers, it is such a difficult time for them all. Your kindness spreads far my dear and my you find strength to get through this Christmas without your dear Mother and remember all the beautiful and funny things that you shared together with warmth in your heart. I do hope that you feel better and I wish you and your family and wonderful Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year xoxo

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  15. Hello Maria, I have just read your heart wrenching post, bless you my dear sweet soul,
    I do feel there are so many unhappy sad people that just get swept away by the rich and over indulged, what these wealthy bunch do not understand is that at with a snap of the fingers I could so easily be them,
    I love the little china cat
    Winter Blessings
    Thea xx

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  16. Dear Maria,

    Hope this Christmas will be a Happy one for your. What a beautiful act of kindness to give your ten pounds to someone who needs it so much. Isn't this what Christmas is all about?!

    Sending you lots of love,

    Madelief x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ~ Bless you and your dear girls, Madelief....
      you are one of these people I was thinking of in this post, my friend...

      Delete
  17. Oh that poor girl, I’m so glad someone with such a kind heart (you!) came along. The story of the little match girl has always had the power to move me to tears – but never more so than today.
    God Bless Maria. I hope your Christmas is wonderful. Barbara xxx

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  18. It is such a shame that old story can still be found today. I'm glad you saw her on your trip to town.
    Sarah x

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  19. People like you make the world better. x

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  20. This book was originally published in 1845- which explains the sweet but morbid contents of the classic tale. Beautifully written and illustrated. I would definitely not recommend it for a young child because it could be a bit haunting for them.

    Zia
    You won't believe this Port Arthur Asbestos Lawyer

    ReplyDelete