I Believe It Has Merit

Sat., Aug. 17, 1996

Ann Landers Creators Syndicate

Dear Ann Landers: I am sending you a poem that I think is very powerful. I hope you will share it with your readers. - J.W. in Bothell, Wash.

Dear J.W.: Thank you for a poem that is sure to get mixed reviews, but I believe it has merit. Here it is:

And God Said No

By Claudia Minden Weisz I asked God to take away my pride,

And God said, “No.” He said it was not for Him to take away,

But for me to give up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,

And God said, “No.” He said her spirit is whole, Her body is only temporary. I asked God to grant me patience,

And God said, “No.” He said that patience is a byproduct of tribulation,

It isn’t granted, it’s earned. I asked God to give me happiness,

And God said, “No.” He said He gives blessings,

Happiness is up to me. I asked God to spare me pain,

And God said, “No.” He said, “Suffering draws you apart from worldly

Cares and brings you closer to Me.” I asked God to make my spirit grow

And God said, “No.” He said I must grow on my own,

But He will prune me to make me fruitful. I asked God to help me love others,

As much as He loves me, And God said, “Ah, finally, you have the idea.”

Dear Ann Landers:

I’d like to respond to “Fond Memories,” who buried her husband with his glasses on.

My dad, “Bud” Niggle, played big band music in Cleveland all his life. When he passed away in November 1994, we polished his trombone and placed it next to his casket.

Instead of the usual somber music at the wake, we played a tape of Dad belting out his favorites - “String of Pearls,” “Sentimental Journey” and “Stompin’ at the Savoy.” Friends and family exclaimed over and over, “That’s Bud!” and they were delighted to see his trombone standing sentinel by his side.

Dad was truly present that evening, not only in spirit but in his living legacy of music. - Cheryl Niggle, Honolulu

Dear Cheryl: Your letter proves once again that a funeral need not be a sad, heart-wrenching experience. It also can be a celebration of a life well-lived and a tribute. Thank you for giving us the perfect example.

Gem of the Day: A man’s friends almost always like him just the way he is. Isn’t it odd that his wife, who says she loves him, keeps trying to turn him into somebody else?

xxxx

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.