In which I share a story that you should send to your mother today

My mom returns this weekend from New Orleans, where she's been working with a church group rebuilding houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  This is her third trip, and probably her last--money for Katrina recovery is mostly gone, although more than 35,000 homes still need repair.  She says that next spring they'll probably go to Alabama and help out there for a week or so. 

That's the kind of mom who raised me. 

Here's a story I've told before, and today I dedicate to my mom.

A dragon swooped down upon the village late one night, burning the roofs, frightening the horses, making a huge mess...and when it swooped away from the village, it carried with it a little girl.


The King took immediate action. He called together his army, and selected the three fastest, strongest, bravest knights. "Go," said the King, "Go and rescue that girl!"

The knights galloped away on their fine warhorses. They followed the path of the dragon--not difficult to do, as it was a burned path 100 yards wide, still hot and smoldering. They rode fast for three days and three nights, and on the morning of the fourth day they saw ahead of them a mountain. At the top of the mountain they could see a cave, and coming out of the cave they could see smoke.

The knights were just about to gallop up the mountain to rescue the girl when they saw...

a woman...

coming down the side of the mountain...

carrying the girl.

The knights were astonished.

"How did you do this? We galloped for three days and three nights to battle the dragon and rescue the child, and yet here are you, with the girl in your arms!"

She looked at the knights, and she shrugged her shoulders and said,

"Well, you aren't her mother, are you?"