The Realm of the Pachyderm

By Following the Savior's Example, We Can Improve Our Lives

Charlotte had come to a hard time in her life. She was filled with discontent. Everything seemed wrong: her friends were commonplace [1]; her home unattractive; her own personality unlovely, as she was well aware. The problem was too much for Charlotte [2].

To obtain help, Charlotte went to Margret Ames, a lady who was leading the kind of life that Charlotte wanted to lead. Charlotte poured out the story of her heartache over her frustrated, unhappy life. Margret, after a gentle word of sympathy, said, "You can change all that if you really have the will to do it."

To being the new life, Mrs. Ames suggested to Charlotte that she live for 24 hours as if Christ were right beside her, seeing everything she did. "Then come to me again, and we'll talk it over. Will you do that?"

Somewhat doubtful, Charlotte answered, "Yes, Mrs. Ames."

It was late afternoon when Charlotte went home. She knew that she was expected to help get the supper onto the table. She went to the drawer and took out a wrinkled table cloth [3]. When she spread it on the table, she noticed several soiled spots. And her she had her first thought of change.

"If Christ were going to eat with us, I wouldn't put on a soiled cloth," she said to herself.

She got a fresh cloth. And with the same thought, she brought in a small bowl of flowers from the yard [4]. She put the butter on a fresh plate instead of on the soiled one [5]. She cut the bread with care [6].

"Company tonight?" asked her father.

"Just you, Daddy," smiled Charlotte [7].

Her mother, worn and hot, sat down saying, "I don't know what's got into her to fix up so just for us. I suppose she's expecting someone to drop in before we're done."

"I don't know of anyone I'd rather fix things up for than our own folks, [8]" she said.

The family simply stared for a minute [9]. That wasn't like Charlotte.

In the living room after dinner, Charlotte slipped a magazine out from the bottom of the pile and began to read [10]. She had brought the magazine home herself, and she kept it hidden [11]. After a few minutes, she put it down.

"I wouldn't be reading this if Christ were sitting where he could read with me," she thought. She carried it out and put it in the wastepaper bag [12].

The next day, Charlotte went to work again. She disliked her job very much.

"Christ beside me," she thought as she walked into the store. She said good morning smilingly to all she met. She was even able to solve problems with rude customers as she reminded herself of how she would act if Christ were beside her [13]. That evening she returned to Margret Ames' home to discuss the experiment.

"I tried it, Mrs. Ames, just as well as I could, and--well, it made everything different. I think I can see what you mean. Of course, it didn't change the things that are bothering me. I'm still poor [14], and can't go to school [15], and I live in an ugly house..."

"Ah, my dear! But you only started the seed-sowing 24 hours ago. Can you keep on as you've begun? You have the key word. It is Christ. Fretting doesn't change very much; but Christ does. Just remember to keep your daily walk very close to him."

"I'm going to do it," said Charlotte.

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[1] Beware, children, of being the commonplace friend. You will make the lives of your outstanding friends like Charlotte irrevocably miserable. You may even cause these model citizens to commit suicide because of your mediocrity.

[2] Poor Charlotte. Who knew watered-down teenage angst was so insurmountable? Throw a pebble into that girl's shoe, she'd call it quits and walk into a lake.

[3] Who keeps a wrinkled table cloth in a drawer? What kind of heinous family is this? And why didn't she think to get a fresh table cloth in the first place!?

[4] She thought it was a nice gesture--until her livid mother stormed in and raged at her for uprooting the family's only source of income: the prize-winning African violets that only bloom once a year.

[5] It's nice to know that some families keep a soiled plate around for the express purpose of putting butter on it.

[6] As opposed to the slaughter via machete she usually inflicted on the bread.

[7] Can you smile a sentence at someone? I didn't know it was physically possible, but hey, this is Outstanding Friend Charlotte we're talking about here...

[8] Grammatically incorrect AND creepy! Way to go, Charlotte!

[9] "WHO IS THIS MADWOMAN IN OUR DAUGHTER'S BODY?! THIS MENACE MUST BE STOPPED AT ONCE!"

[10] She resorts to reading at night because her commonplace friends just don't cut the mustard when it comes to partying. It's hard to tell who's more of a loser in this equation...

[11] Wow, she's hiding questionable reading material--right in the middle of her living room. Very slick.

[12] Geez, Charlotte, what kind of a magazine is this?!

[13] She resorted to actual customer service rather than threatening shoppers with a loaded Glock she keeps behind the counter at all times. "Buy some shoes and stop whining!"

[14] When did she mention poverty? I don't recall seeing this on the original list of woes.

[15] What is this, the Great Depression? Since when does she live in the Dust Bowl? Way to go, Mom and Dad. Your kid can't even go to school to be with her commonplace friends.

Basically, this story blew my mind when I was in YW an eon ago, and it continues to astound me still.

"Remember, it's the little things in life that will help us achieve our goals...like not being like Charlotte, for example."