In the beginning, Mishka was like everyone else. I went to the garden, did not like manna porridge, played with the guys, learned poetry and did crafts. Mom was coming from work, picking him up. I just picked it up from the walk.
The bear ran to her, she took him in her arms and circled, saying: «Mouse, I missed you very much.» Misha, for the sake of appearance, grumbled, broke out: “Let me, Mom, I’m a man,” and he secretly rejoiced. Then they went home through the food stall, took there cereal, flour, papa’s favorite sausages, cupsy – to him, Mishke. In the evening, the folder came from work, had dinner, Mishka and his father watched sports or a movie, then went to bed. Mom read a bedtime story.
In the summer they went to the dacha, father built a bathhouse, mother polola beds, Bear watered them from a small watering pot. But he liked carnations more with his father.
They did.
Mishka’s school started, it was not as fun as in kindergarten, but tolerant. I also liked mathematics in the world. Painted Misha well, in physical education ran with great pleasure. We made it to third grade.
She was good, Mommy, kind, funny, never fought. Weared beautiful dresses, heeled shoes, in the summer – a favorite blue scarf. And then she got sick. She was taken to the hospital. Three times only Mishka and her father went to her. That’s it. In the cemetery, Father and Mishka did not cry. He did not believe that his mother was buried in the ground. I thought to myself it was a mistake. She’s just gone far, she’ll be cured and she’ll come back. Waited. Especially since they had a secret. The last time he came to the hospital, his mother, with a weak hand, pulled him and whispered:
— Mouse, I will definitely come back to you! I may look different, but you will definitely recognize me.
Bear believed and waited. It was hard for them with the file, though. The house without Mommy is boring. They washed the floors, wiped the dust, washed the curtains, but still everything seemed gray. The father, after his mother was taken to the cemetery, fell silent. From work will come, the TV does not watch and his favorite beer stopped drinking. He sits at the table and is silent, does not move like a robot without recharging. At such moments, fear attacked Bear. He slowed his father down, made things up, eat, say, I want to check the lessons, go for walks, go to the store, buy colored paper for work. My father died for a while, gathered and, silently, walked, Mishkin fulfilled requests.
And then spring started. And they went to the dacha with their father, plant a garden. The day was sunny, bright, the sky blue, like a washed window. The folder had a little fun. He took a shovel, plunged into the black ground, smiled, then sank, sat down and fell face down. The bear rushed to pick it up, but what is it? He’s heavy, daddy. That’s when Mishka screamed. Neighbors came running to his cry. The ambulance took the file. The doctors said heart. The doctors didn’t have time. What’s next, Bear remembers poorly. Some darkness entered his soul and sat there, pressed, did not want to leave.
So Misha in the orphanage and was. And he didn’t like it at all. I didn’t like it. No food, no rooms furnished with new furniture, no loud guys, especially Vovka-bad, no educators tired, all on one face.
Bear, as his father became, approached the window and froze, listening to his pain. It rang with a thin mosquito, then a string. At this point, he thought that his mother had deceived him before she died: she promised that she would come just to calm him down. But somewhere deep inside, he still hoped she would come back.
Days flew, one on the other similar. A new teacher came to the orphanage — Elena Yurievna. Big, soft, round-faced, doll-like. And the guys in her presence calmed down, and Mishka liked her. She told a lot of stories about all sorts of wonderful people and so well and brightly she said that Mishkin’s heartache disappeared. Even Vovka under her stories became quiet, stopped bothering everyone.
From Lena Yurievna Misha learned about St. Luke, who lived long ago, was a doctor and priest, endured difficulties, helped the poor, the soldier healed and did a lot of good to ordinary people. I really liked this doctor in the photo. Looks like he’s stern, wearing glasses, but his eyes are smiling. He would have saved my mom and dad, Misha thought. Mishka also liked that St. Luke was called Saint. What it means, Mishka hesitated to ask, but presented Luke with a large candle, the light of which dispels the darkness in his soul, Mishkina. And then the teacher said that Luke is now in heaven.
After this story, Mishka thought for a long time, and then a leaf out of a notebook tore up and wrote a letter to the saint: “Dear Luke, since you are with God in Heaven, there is my mother nearby.” Please remind her that she promised to come back. Tell me I miss you so much already. Let us meet and let me know her.”
When the orphanage went to Krasnoyarsk for an excursion, Mishka and other children Elena Yurievna led to the monument to St. Luke. Bear looked into the face of this man for a long time, and then, when everyone was already leaving, quietly hid the note in the ground near the monument.
Mishka finished his homework when he was called to the director. There sat a tall woman with a freckled good face, in a blue scarf. She awkwardly stood up to meet the boy, smiled with such a familiar smile and quietly said: “What a mouse looks like!”. The bear ran up and hugged her with all his might.
Author: Elena Esaulova
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
Orthodox stories from life
Soul investment!
