ISABELLA'S STORY

     In 1909 a twelve year old Italian orphan girl named Isabella came to live in a convent.  She wasn't there as a novice.  She worked for her keep for room and board at the convent for the nuns.  She loved to help in the kitchen and her garden the most. At the time of her story it is now 1917 and she is twenty years old.  She has been with the nuns for eight years. This is a story about her faith. 

     Before Isabella came to the convent, she had never stepped foot in a church or heard the story of Jesus, although she had been taught by her parents about faith and God.  One day one of the nun's told her Jesus's story. When she was telling the story, Bella became very excited.  "I know who you are talking about!  But before today I never knew his name."  The nun then asked her what her parents called Jesus?  Bella said, "The One Who Knows the truth.  God is the One who IS the Truth." 
     By the time Bella was fourteen, she was a very accomplished cook.  She loved to cook and had even planted a small garden which produced much needed fruits vegetables. The Holy Mother came to her and asked her to prepare a birthday meal for the new Mayor of Lucca.  Bella didn't believe in eating another of God's creatures as meat.  There were many discussions and arguments over the eating of meats.  She insisted she wasn't going to serve a meat dish to the Mayor.
     Little Bella opened the Bible and read the first chapter of Genesis.  "God said, I give you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of the earth, every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food."  She then handed the Bible to one of the nuns, and said I couldn't find anything in there about God eating meat.  She kept insisting that God was a vegetarian. So she would make the mayor her panzanella dish and he would probably ask for seconds.
     As the years went by, she became famous for the produce she grew in her garden.  She had enlarged the garden and grew even more fruits and vegetables than before.  She set up a booth at the farmers market where she sold the produce from her garden for a profit.  The profit helped sustain the convent. Her booth was opened three days a week. She also worked at the winery next door to convent.  
     Years later when Bella was about twenty years old, she was in her booth at the market Franco the foreman of the winery turned to her asked her what  her secret was to being successful. She shrugged as if she thought that was kind of a silly question. She said I just love what I do and believe that when you have a passion for something, the results will be good.  Franco looked doubtful, so Bella asked him if he believed in positive thoughts.  He said he was a realist and life wasn't that easy.  Bella told him she never said it was, but that things work better if you think positively.  Franco didn't reply for a moment.  He looked around for a few minutes and all he said was I believe in hard work.
     "I believe in smiling while you work", Bella said.  She grabbed some dirt out of the bottom of the box of kale and held it up. "We look at the land and hope the soil is fertile.  Our minds and hearts are like fertile soil as well.  Just as the seeds need good soil, we need good thoughts.  Good thoughts create good actions."
     Anna, a nun that was with Bella, leaned in and whispered, "Get ready for Isaiah 30:23."  Bella laughed and said, 'Isaiah 30:23 makes perfect sense.  He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground."  She went on to say, "We think the dirt, the sun, and water are the only elements needed when we plant seeds.  But everything in nature, including human beings, needs love to reach its true potential.  I simply plant the seeds of divine ideas in my garden, and the fruits and vegetables flourish. 
     Franco let out a sigh and said, "Until there's a draught or flood."  Bella's eyes fixed on him with a penetrating stare, "There will always be challenges in life, but does that mean we should stop living or stop loving?"  She went on to say, "These are the times we need more than ever to relax into silence and open our awareness to divine ideas that will create incredible possibilities."
     Bella has the right attitude and idea for growing successful human beings.  God planted his seed in them, but they need love and guidance to become all they should be.

This story I got the idea for from part of a book I read "The Walls of Lucca" by Steve Physioc.   I am not trying to take credit for something someone else wrote and published.  I wrote this for my own enjoyment with no idea to ever have it published.  

*STARLIGHT*