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Excerpts

from Chapter 6

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

-- 1 Corinthians 3:8

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN
Cheryl Runstrom
...

As the train sped along the East Coast toward Florida, tears silently slid down my cheeks. The complications of modern family life can seem overwhelming, particularly when it comes to transporting children between parents and states. I was on an arduous thirty-six-hour train trip. I had just delivered my children to their father, my ex-husband, in New Jersey for a long visit and was returning to my home in Florida. As the train made its way along the many miles, I contemplated the lonely months I would now spend without my kids and the lonely evening that lay ahead. I thought my husband was out at sea and I was feeling sad that he wouldn't be there to comfort and reassure me when I arrived home.

It was almost 5:30 A.M. when the train, quiet with sleepy passengers, approached the station in Jacksonville. Suddenly I heard a buzz coming down through the long, dark train car; soft whispers filled with excitement and awe made their way to my ears. I looked out the window and up the tracks to see what had everyone in such a frenzy. As we reached the platform, I saw the profile of a handsome naval officer, suited up in formal dress whites and holding a huge bouquet of yellow roses. His hat was low over his eyes and he stood proud.

Oblivious to the crowd that had eagerly gathered to watch, I ran to that handsome naval officer, my husband, and threw myself into his arms. After a long kiss, I buried my nose in the yellow roses and knew that I was home -- and that I was loved by a very special man.

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The art of making potpourri dates back to long before the time of the pharaohs. Historically, it was used to mask odors from poor sanitation as well as to ward off insects. In French the word potpourri means "rotten pot." Today potpourri is simply a mixture of dried flowers and other ingredients used to add fragrance to a room.

Copyright © 2001 by Kathy Lamancusa