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The Touch Of A Smile
- By Anne Van Tilburg
- Published 02/26/2009
- General Short Stories
- Unrated
The lift stopped at the second floor, and a man in his sixties stepped out. He looked a picture of misery, such gloom and sadness was all over his face. Three other persons in the lift, Clare and two elderly ladies continued up to the third floor. That day, Clare noticed that the gentleman had glued his eyes on her, and she wondered why. He had made an attempt to speak to her, but he bit his lips and went on his way with his usual melancholy face.
"I must take an opportunity", she said to herself, "to sound his mind, to fathom his soul; he must be mentally depressed. Meantime, I'll pray that God help him dispel his sadness away." On Mondays it was Clare's turn to reset the table. A big check apron covered her blue dress, her blond hair gave her a golden appearance. Her face revealed real contentment and a perennial smile. She quickly pulled the corners of the table-cloth together and went to the window to shake off the crumbs left from the meal, As she shook the cloth a serviette which she had not seen glided down wards, falling on the balcony below. She flew downstairs to the apartment directly below, she read the name, Mr. Sarvi on the door, and then rang the bell.
A maid-servant answered the door and went to the balcony to fetch the serviette. At that very moment, Mr. Sarvi appeared at the doorway of an inner room. it was the gloomy sad man from the lift. Seeing Clare at the door, he called her in and took her to the sitting-room. "Please, be seated, Miss," he said. "I have a question to ask you. Why that perennial smile on your lips? It is irresistible. One cannot wonder how it is possible to be always so happy." Clare blushed with shyness, but soon she realized that this was the opportunity she was looking for, and with all the alertness of her sharp mind, she got ready to give him the answer.
"A smile on one's face," she said, "is the result of one's peace of mind. I too, once, was restlessly in search of true happiness; neither riches, nor pleasures, nor a brilliant career were able to give it to me." "At long last, I understood that the fountain of genuine joy is God Himself, and I threw myself completely into His arms, ready to do His Will in all circumstances, always. I left home, studies and my friends, and joined a group of girls who have the same ideal; to infuse into as many hearts as possible a yearning for God - to possess Him, to be one with Him."
Mr. Sarvi listened to her intently, never in his whole life had he heard such convincing words. He shook himself up as if coming our of a reverie, and thanked Clare. Visibly moved he said: "Miss, you have brought home the most important lesson of my life that God is all that counts." Clare picked up her serviette and returned to the upper floor of her flat, being so glad that she had encountered Mr. Sarvi. Two days later Mr. Sarvi's maid called at the girls flat. "My master," she said, "wants to see that young lass with the perennial smile."
Clare hastened to his apartment. Instead of Mr. Sarvi, a young, tall priest was at the door to receive her. "I am Mr. Sarvi's son", he said. "After my mother's death, I told my father I wanted to be a priest, but he stubbornly refused to give me permission. All the same, I entered the Seminary. On my Ordination day, I received a letter from him saying never to show my face to him again. "To my surprise, two days ago he sent for me, telling me that a spirit of peace had come over him, that he was sorry for his unyielding refusal; that he wanted me to visit his home to bring him God's blessing. He attributes this complete change to your conversation and to your smile." Clare was overjoyed; "Oh God," she later prayed. "You are infinitely merciful. You have brought about a great reconciliation, may we ever be Your devoted children."
In God's vineyard, some sow the seed, but some others reap the harvest!
Source: Fr. P. Gatti, S.D.B.
"I must take an opportunity", she said to herself, "to sound his mind, to fathom his soul; he must be mentally depressed. Meantime, I'll pray that God help him dispel his sadness away." On Mondays it was Clare's turn to reset the table. A big check apron covered her blue dress, her blond hair gave her a golden appearance. Her face revealed real contentment and a perennial smile. She quickly pulled the corners of the table-cloth together and went to the window to shake off the crumbs left from the meal, As she shook the cloth a serviette which she had not seen glided down wards, falling on the balcony below. She flew downstairs to the apartment directly below, she read the name, Mr. Sarvi on the door, and then rang the bell.
A maid-servant answered the door and went to the balcony to fetch the serviette. At that very moment, Mr. Sarvi appeared at the doorway of an inner room. it was the gloomy sad man from the lift. Seeing Clare at the door, he called her in and took her to the sitting-room. "Please, be seated, Miss," he said. "I have a question to ask you. Why that perennial smile on your lips? It is irresistible. One cannot wonder how it is possible to be always so happy." Clare blushed with shyness, but soon she realized that this was the opportunity she was looking for, and with all the alertness of her sharp mind, she got ready to give him the answer.
"A smile on one's face," she said, "is the result of one's peace of mind. I too, once, was restlessly in search of true happiness; neither riches, nor pleasures, nor a brilliant career were able to give it to me." "At long last, I understood that the fountain of genuine joy is God Himself, and I threw myself completely into His arms, ready to do His Will in all circumstances, always. I left home, studies and my friends, and joined a group of girls who have the same ideal; to infuse into as many hearts as possible a yearning for God - to possess Him, to be one with Him."
Mr. Sarvi listened to her intently, never in his whole life had he heard such convincing words. He shook himself up as if coming our of a reverie, and thanked Clare. Visibly moved he said: "Miss, you have brought home the most important lesson of my life that God is all that counts." Clare picked up her serviette and returned to the upper floor of her flat, being so glad that she had encountered Mr. Sarvi. Two days later Mr. Sarvi's maid called at the girls flat. "My master," she said, "wants to see that young lass with the perennial smile."
Clare hastened to his apartment. Instead of Mr. Sarvi, a young, tall priest was at the door to receive her. "I am Mr. Sarvi's son", he said. "After my mother's death, I told my father I wanted to be a priest, but he stubbornly refused to give me permission. All the same, I entered the Seminary. On my Ordination day, I received a letter from him saying never to show my face to him again. "To my surprise, two days ago he sent for me, telling me that a spirit of peace had come over him, that he was sorry for his unyielding refusal; that he wanted me to visit his home to bring him God's blessing. He attributes this complete change to your conversation and to your smile." Clare was overjoyed; "Oh God," she later prayed. "You are infinitely merciful. You have brought about a great reconciliation, may we ever be Your devoted children."
In God's vineyard, some sow the seed, but some others reap the harvest!
Source: Fr. P. Gatti, S.D.B.