Joanie watched the eerie multicolored lights in the northern sky as night began the closure of the day. She thought about her children who were safely in the cave which had been dug in the bed rock. Everyone had known that it would be just a matter of time before the Materialists found out that the Ridge Community contained great treasure.
Slowly she made her way back to the cave. Along the way she saw homes which were nothing but a twisted mass of rubble, while others which have survived the devastation were abandoned. Many new residents had begun to build homes, but news of the impending disaster drove them into the unprotected lands of the barren desert. Their plight was witnessed as they left the sanctuary of the ridge in their attempt to reach the snow covered mountain peaks and cross beyond into an uncharted land. She wondered if any other communities in her beloved Heartland had survived. Was Ridge the only community protected by the "Portal"?
Robin, Vanessa, and Benita were preparing for a game which would be played after the family had eaten supper that night. Joanie asked with a twinkle in her eye, "Children which game are we going to play tonight?" "Now momma!" , piped Robin, "You know how we love to play name that tune and Slogan's Hero's, but we will probably plan scavenger hunt too!" "I know! But remember we will vote on which game to play, so do not be disappointed if your favorite is not chosen."
Joanie continued down the path and entered the cave. The smell of dinner cooking filled the air. She found Bekki,Barrie, and Laurie busily placing the meal on the large round oak table. Tonight's meal would be especially good, she thought! For she had given her older children her cook book which had been handed down generation to generation from the beginning of time. Contained in the book were the favorite recipes from 100 generations of her family.
Everyone had gathered at the table and offered thanksgiving for the meal, which was the family custom. On the table was a flank steak which was the favorite recipe of Aunt Connie, the Easy Cream
Corn had been a favorite of Aunt Eileen, the Macaroni Salad was Aunt Carolyn's contribution, and the Swedish Cake was Aunt Deb's delight.
The Ridge family finished their meal and everyone pitched in to clean the table and wash the dishes. Now they all gathered in the great room for a time of family fellowship which would include games
which the children had prepared. Tykie had a wonderful suggestion to look at the family photo album and identify family members from their baby photo's and Cat raised her hand, "Momma please tell us
about our photo album?"
"Yes, please!" said Donna, "All we see in our album are pictures of we fifteen children, what about the rest of our family?"
With that, Susan Mc quickly left the room and returned with the family treasure box. None of the children knew of the "special photo album", except Susan Mc, who was the eldest child. Before her brothers and sisters were born, she and her mother would spend hours "listening to the images." She carefully place it in the center of the great room. All eyes were focused on its ivory and jewel laden beauty when the top slowly began to open. Startled, everyone moved back.
Joanie gently told her children of the mystical powers of the treasure box and that nothing would harm them because they were protected by the "portal." Relief swept the room and everyone settled down on their favorite pillows to listen as their mother began a tale of wonder.
In the beginning all of our pictures were the flat images of our family, like those you see in our album. The reason you have not seen other members of our family in this album (she held the large album high over her head) and continued, is because all other family members images are contained in our treasure box (disbelief - of course).
The images of our distant family are the strength of "the portal", for without them we would have no protection. In our early years they gathered in a place we call "Heartland" and began to establish communities. The first such community was called Ridge, for they wanted a place which would be close to the sky where they would be able to gaze down into the fertile valley.
Suddenly, houses began to disappear from the valley, family articles began to grow old an crumble, and the Postman would not deliver all of the mail. Your father and other men of Ridge, left our sanctuary to try and repair the damage, for they thought that the Materialists were some how involved in these strange happenings.
"Mother, will daddy and the other men ever return?," asked Robin with tears in her dark blue dyes.
With the kindness that only a mother in Heartland could muster, Joanie explained that she was certain that all would return for, Heartland had been built with the love and affection of strong family values and that love would last longer than the dark side of the Materialists.
An inquisitive voice asked, "What is a Postman?" Susan Mc wanted her mother to be proud of her and answered Benita's question. "A Postman is someone who takes what a person was written...their thoughts, expressions, or ideas placed as words on a piece of paper. Which is placed in an envelope with postage. And then taken to the person to whom the "letter" is addressed. We have all of the "letters" which have been received by our family. They are dear to our hearts and we always answer those who have written".
"I have never received a letter!", said Vanessa.
"Perhaps you shall one day soon", said Susan Mc.
Now nothing is more disheartening than to want a letter from a family member only to have days and weeks pass without any mail. But all of those who served as Postmen had ventured from Ridge with greetings from our little family and none have returned. Perhaps they will return one day with news from the other communities in Heartland and help to wipe the tears from Robin's eyes, make Vanessa happy that she has heard from a Heartland community Co-Liaison (and received her very first mail), and join our never ending story, which has just begun
Copyright: 1986-2010