Astoria's Blessing By Amelia Melanchuk September
7, 1930, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Astoria Danielle Harbor is born.
September
7, 1940, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Astoria was 10. 10, old enough to go see the
world. 10, the age you begin to understand the many wonders. 10, the age she
moved.
It was hard enough only getting a rag doll and a book to afford flying to
Hawaii. That’s where they were going, Oahu, Hawaii.
Astoria knew they would be safe. She went
to church and knew Heavenly Father would protect them. Her family. Father,
Mother, Derek, Tida, Tivona, Soso, and even Astoria, a simple middle child, the
one with not many friends, the one with a poor family, the one who felt not
quite alone, but almost. Almost.
September 18, 1940, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Astoria the Survivor. Quoting Robert Fulghum, “ Through every kind of disaster
and setback and catastrophe. We are survivors.” Astoria felt like she had done
the practically impossible. Little did she know she would be a real survivor.
December 7, 1941,
Hawaii.
Things
were normal. Astoria went to Crawson Middle with Tida, Derek to Ellason High,
Tivona to Crawson elementary, and Soso to preschool. This was normal life.
Astoria was interested. They were
learning about the earth, which Astoria found fascinating, when the alarm went
off. Beedo!
Beedo! Astoria hurried to duck her head and run
to where she had drilled. She sat by her church friend, Kailani, so she
wouldn’t be alone. As they sat there for a moment or two, they heard loud
noises, crashing, exploding. Bombs! Astoria was scared, but knew Heavenly
Father was there, so whispered to Kailani if they should say a prayer. Kailani
immediately agreed, and in barely a whisper, they said their prayers. “ Please,
please, bless Mother and Father and Derek, and Tida, and Tivona, and Soso.
Please let them be okay.” She kept praying until the bombs stopped. Astoria was
relieved to find the school had not been harmed.
December 26, 1941, Texas
Christmas
wasn’t very fun. It made Astoria wish for her rag doll and book. She was living
in Texas at the moment with her gramma and grandpa. Her house was destroyed
with all her possessions. But in Astoria’s mind she was blessed. None of her
siblings or friends schools had been bombed. Her parents were able to get away
with some money. She had generous grandparents to go to. Her family was sealed
in the temple and they were together. Right then and there, Astoria Danielle
Harbor knew she was a survivor.
Epilogue
September
7, 1990, Pennsylvania
Astrid
Emery Pritchett is born.
September
7, 1990, Pennsylvania
Astoria Danielle Harbor Pritchett looks at her first granddaughter.
.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment