LEFTY
by Sister Vivian Miller

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Hello!

My name is Lefty!  

Yes, I know that I look worn and old.
You may think that I am junk,
but I have a precious story I can tell.

I really should be in a museum.

If you would just take a moment,
set back and
I'll tell you the whole story.

 

Believe me,
Maria looked right smart,
as she dressed up
for her Sunday afternoon walks.

She took good care of me
and wore me only
on
special days.

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I am afraid,
that in the beginning,
I pinched her toes a bit...
but Maria never complained.

It seems that looking good means more
to young people than a
pinched toe.

After we took our long walks
a bucket of hot water
would ease the pain in her feet.

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Then one day I was put
into this closet.
OH! it was dark.
I could not imagine why
I was left alone for so long.

The last time I was worn,
was to Church.
I kept wondering what had happened there.

I know Maria sat very still for a long time
listening to a missionary.
Then we ran all the way home.
I was kicked off and landed in a corner,
and there I stayed for days!

The next thing I knew I was put into the closed
under a stack of woollies.
OH I missed my Maria!

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Then one afternoon
light streamed into the darkness.
And bless my "sole"  Maria
grabbed me. 
I didn't know what was happening.

I yelled,
HELP!  I'M FALLING!
A lot of other stuff was falling too.

Everything was headed for a sack.

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Now, I could not see everything
but I knew we were on our way
somewhere.
I felt a little squashed but it was not too bad.
The bouncing up and down made me feel a little sleepy. 
I was glad that there was so much
padding all around me.
It was just like a feather bed.
So I took a little nap.

 

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I often wondered about the PERSON
she was looking at as she prayed.
She called him
"My Crucified Jesus."

Now, if there is one thing we shoes
understand it is FEET.
But the feet of this PERSON are NAILED.
Pinched toes are bad...
corns are worse
but feet with NAILS in them ---
big nails--
that I can't understand.
It bothered Maria too,
I could tell.
She kissed these feet and
cried a lot.

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One day I told Maria,
"I'm tired, and you've got to be too!"

Maria had been on her feet all day.

In the morning you were with the young girls and women.
In the afternoon you worked the novices.
(Young women studying to be sisters.)
Then in the evening you taught the
young shepherd children.

I couldn't understand why
you never stretched out and rested,
like other people did.

Was it because you remembered
those feet with the Nails?

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One day we had a close shave.
If I hadn't helped her jump to the side,
her foot,
and I of course,
would have been hit by a stone.
These stones, give us a scare every once and a while.

One time a little boy
almost had his finger cut off.
Oh, Maria prayed a lot,
then took the little one's hand in hers,
and all of a sudden, the lads screams turned to laughter.  His finger was healed!

Those stones were necessary for building.
Maria and I loved these procession with the people from town. We kept in step with the hymns they sang.

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It may surprise you to know
that shoes have temptations.

Many times, I wanted to give a
meaningful kick
to those people who were not nice
to my Maria.

But she would pinch me to the floor
with her toes and I never had the satisfaction.

Imagine!
She even loved those people
who were mean to her.
She was even extra nice to them!

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I remember the days when
many Sisters were sick here in Acuto.

Maria stayed up day and night,
sitting by their beds,
hurrying to call for help as the Sister weakened,
carrying trays up and down the stairs,
standing close to the Sisters
to cool their fevered heads,
and
of course,
kneeling to pray for them.

Let me tell you, I was really tired!
I can't imagine how Maria felt.

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Maria did like music.

Her toes always began wiggling, and soon her whole foot was tapping rhythms
when the children and Sisters sang.

One day we started making some
very big movements.
It was like pumping a bike pedal.
But when we pumped this pedal
MUSIC came out!

I think the Sisters called this
box like thing an organ.
I often wondered
if I could do that all by myself.

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I have to tell you about my friend
ROSIE.
You may have met her already.
I think that you will like her.

We traveled so many miles together, that we became quite attached.
Maria needed both of us to do her work
with children, young folks and married ladies.

It  was hard to keep track
of the number of trips
Maria made to encourage the Sisters
and to show them how much she loved and cared for them.

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One day,
I found myself standing in the air.
This was a new feeling.

Maria had been talking to the women
at S. Donato, about God's love
and its extreme expression
in the shedding of Blood.

Then all of a sudden
I began to feel very light and fresh.
Well, Maria and I found
ourselves in mid-air.

I hear this happens sometimes to people who love God.

I knew that God would give us a soft landing.

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On cold winter days,
Maria, would put on
heavy woolen sock.
I tried telling her that they
were making me bulge at the seams.

I guess it was a good thing
that over the years
my leather had stretched.

When I think of how elegant
I was
back in the good old days....

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Maria Tullio, decided that it was time
to do a little repair.
I think that it was about time.
The cobble stones had been hard on me. First there were the scuffs,
then the tear.

It didn't hurt a bit. Maria Tullio was very gently with the needle.

That afternoon my Maria
went to the vineyards with the Sisters to pick grapes. 
I wondered if the children would
notice my new patch.

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Have I told you about the weather?

The rain sure didn't help
my complexion!
It caused me to crack even more.
I tried to warn Maria about the
puddles but they were everywhere!

Even in the rain Maria would make
the trips over the mountains because she loved her Sisters.

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One day I got greased up
and really sparkled!
You know why?

I was getting pretty run down, and decided to try a little squeak to express my protest.
It didn't do any good, really.
All I got for the effort was laughs from the children and frowns from the Sisters.
Maria just went right on with her classes, her help in the kitchen and the garden.

Nothing could stop Maria
in her service of others for the love of God.

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There was a lot of whispering between the Sisters.  I could tell that something was going to happen.
Little did I know that It would happen to ME!
The Sisters had given Maria
a new pair of shoes
and they threw me out of the window.
I knew that they were getting rid of me so Maria would be more ready to use the new shoes.
I was afraid that I would
never see MY Maria again.
I knew she like me...
I was so comfortable!

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Later that day, Maria came looking for me.
I wondered what happened
to the new shoes. 
Then I remembered the
woman with a bundle.
She looked cold and poor.
Maria gave her new shoes to
that poor woman.
I really wondered what the
Sisters would say.
I decided that I would show
them that I was good for another ten years.

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I never knew where I would be heading.
There was that day that I walked on some beautiful carpets.
I could feel the tingle of joy in Maria's toes.
This had to be something special.
Then I saw someone wearing fancy slippers.
Maria greeted him with bows,genuflections and the words, "Your Holiness".

You guessed it! I was at the Vatican. 
Right in front of Pope Pious IX!

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Well that's about the end of my story.
Before I leave, I need to tell you about my twin.
As you know all shoes are born twins. One of us alone wouldn't be very serviceable.
"Righty" wore out before I did. She blamed her cracks and wrinkles to all the genuflections.
I guess she was right, since while she bended out of shape I was in a straight position.
Anyway, Maria loved to visit her Eucharistic Friend and every time,
there were the genuflections.
I don't know where "Righty" ended up.
It would have been nice to spend our retired years together.

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Well, folks,
that's part of the my
story.

 

When you talk to

St. Maria De Mattias,

tell her that
even old shoes
love her.