The first came from a family story, an event that I
wish with all my heart had never occurred.
In Ladies of the Lake, Cal Salley, a nearly grown man with a child’s
mind, is teased, terrified, and bullied by young teen girls handing out white
feathers to men not in uniform. Relentless, the girls convince Cal that he will
be drafted and sent to the front lines of the Great War, that he will be forced
to face German artillery.
This story was inspired by that of
my Grandaunt May, who birthed two sons. Her younger son, Marshall, was a teen
during WWII and was considered simple-minded. Over time, other teens ridiculed,
bullied, and teased him into believing he would be drafted and sent to war as
his older brother had been, that he would be forced to face German gunfire—become
machine-gun fodder—igniting terrible fear in his childlike mind. His mother, my
grandaunt May, came home from work one day to find her son hanging in their
basement.
Terrified like my grandaunt’s son,
Cal Salley in my story hangs himself.
Ridicule,
bullying, and angry, hurtful words all have consequences, sometimes
consequences beyond our imagination, as the girls handing out white feathers
learned, as even Addie, Dot, Ruth, and Susannah, the Ladies of the Lake, learn
when they play what they consider a return prank on Mildred, an older girl who
has long tormented them.
Sadly,
bullying and vehemence have become unwelcome invaders of our current culture. Political,
ideological, and religious divides have spawned anger and unfiltered speech
through social media and other outlets—all in the name of individual freedom,
freedom of speech, and sometimes even righteousness. Hurtful words and
condemnations that previously would have been thought unimaginable are spoken
and written for public consumption. It is as if the words of Jesus to love our
neighbor as ourselves have been forgotten, or as if the speakers and writers
don’t realize hurtful words have real consequences.
On
the other hand, there can be good consequences of our actions. One of the gems
of my research for Ladies of the Lake revealed the great outpouring of
help and support from
across Nova Scotia, the
rest of Canada, the United States, and Great Britain as men and women rushed to
aid Halifax after the horrific Halifax Explosion—that very day and for a long
time to come.
So
immediate and generous was the medical aid and donation of supplies from Boston
that to this day—more than 100 years later—the people of Nova Scotia annually have
their Department of Natural Resources annually scout the province to find the
most beautiful evergreen tree and truck it 660 miles to the people of Boston. With
ceremony and celebration, Bostonians proudly accept and display the tree in the
Boston Common, where it remains lit throughout the Christmas season. Actions on
the part of both countries have created a shared bond.
Adversity
often seems to bring out the best in people. That was certainly true after the
Halifax Explosion. Reading of the outpouring of compassion and generosity at
that time reminded me of the generosity, great human kindness, and camaraderie
I saw and experienced between Americans and from sympathetic leaders and
citizens of other countries to the US after the attacks on 9/11. With all my
heart I wish that we could again experience that kind of immediate compassion,
friendship and understanding—without waiting for a devastating event to unite
us.
Each
time we speak or write or post on social media, or even walk out the door, we
choose words and actions that will either ignite hurt and destruction or bring
help and healing. Our every action bears a consequence. Will we be part of the
world’s problem or part of the world’s solution? It’s up to us.
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Bestselling, Christy Hall of Fame, and Carol and INSPY Award–winning author Cathy Gohlke writes novels steeped with inspirational lessons, speaking of world and life events through the lens of history. Her stories reveal how people break the chains that bind them and triumph over adversity through faith. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she and her husband, Dan, divide their time between northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their grown children and grandchildren. Visit her website at cathygohlke.com and find her on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks.
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