by Sylvia Outlaw

Created on: July 31, 2008

Janie is seven: life changing moment

Today was to be a special day for Janie. School would once again start and her thirst for knowledge was bursting like an over filled water balloon.

September 6, 1951 was the day before, and the afternoon was very hot and humid with severe storms brewing like a secret potion in a witch's cauldron. Janie doesn't let this dampen her spirits for tomorrow she will be back in school. The storms are severe with tornadoes spawning from west to east across her beloved state of Michigan. Wreckage was heavy ending with a devastating hit on Flint, Michigan.

Janie arose the next morning only to find school had been canceled due to these storms. In the middle of the state where her family live, farm buildings and trees had been shredded and tossed about like tinker toys. All the people in her area had escaped with no loss of life.

It was then time to start the clean up process and each person had their jobs to do with duties being assigned according to age. The three youngest consisted of her older sister, the youngest brother and Janie. She knew that the harder she worked the faster the next day would come and she would then go to school. Little did she know that her whole life would change drastically in one small moment?

Little brother did not wish to comply with the rules and as he defied his oldest sister's wishes, while Janie continued to do her tasks of picking up small branches and limbs. She was approximately thirty feet away when little brother threw one of his famous temper tantrums. He reached down and retrieved a heavy iron curtain rod; which in those days were used to hold the bottoms of the curtains straight and taut. He then hurled with all his might this heavy object directed at his oldest sister. His aim was off and the iron rod flew through the air striking Janie in the left temple and eye.

Janie fell to the ground immediately unconscious only remembering the pain and blood as she awoke traveling in a vehicle taking her far away from the farm. The next two weeks were a blur as the doctors operated three times trying desperately to regain Janie's eye sight.

Fate had played a cruel trick as Janie's life would never be one of the true happy, carefree days she had known and the life she so enjoyed. The learning would now be one of hurt, pain and loneliness. In spite of this tragic accident Janie continued her smiling happy ways and in her search of knowledge she discovered an inner strength and beauty which would see her through this life changing moment.

Learn more about this author, Sylvia Outlaw.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.