"Roses for Mom"
Pen and colored pencil
Today is the birthday of my mother, Mary Bell Whitbeck. She turned ninety. At this point in life, I admire anyone who achieves this milestone. Think of all the life that has been lived, all the ups and downs, hardships, beautiful moments, and many ordinary days that encapsulate a long life. My mom had a very eventful early life that many would never dream of experiencing. As a teenage girl of fourteen years during WWII, she was returning with my grandmother and uncle from West Africa to the United States. En route, their ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk in less than two minutes. They were among the few survivors and floated aimlessly for weeks on the Atlantic Ocean in a small life raft with 19 others until a very dramatic rescue. Books have been written about it, one of which is my Uncle Robert Bell's account, "In Peril On the Sea". As I look back over my family's history, I see indications of God's faithful involvement throughout. Because of that, I am here to write about it today. My mom has been through and suffered much. These pink roses are a tribute to her...pink being her favorite color. Happy Birthday, Mom!
An Evening Landscape
The artist of creation
Revealed his work to men
(The sun lay down till morning
All knew he'd rise again).
The clouds that covered heaven
A perfect canvas made
And as the painter touched them
They changed from shade to shade.
One watching down below them
Would almost gasp with joy
As colour after colour
The artist would employ.
Then suddenly it ended
And evening lost its light
While thanks to God ascended,
The artist said good night.
---Elroy Roffe
(My mother's uncle)
Live bravely and beautifully!
