Myeda, Molly, and Me © 2014 Written by Patricia Easley Illustrations by Jon GehlhausenProduction Art by Deborah Doleh

Patricia Easley is an L.C.S.W., a licensed clinical social worker, who describes herself

as a professional listener of people’s life stories that have gotten stuck in negative

places and need help in discovering where and how they want their life story to go. She has been writing children’s stories since her

two sons were small, but it took the birth of her granddaughter for her to decide she

wanted to put some of these stories in print.

Three little girls swinging in a row.

Three giggly girls swinging high and low.

Three lovely mommies talking toe to toe.

Three loving mommies caring for us so.

Myeda and her mommy’s hair is dark and rich and brown

and covered with the greatest care

by the best of scarves in town.

Molly and her mommy’s hair

is a touch of red

and blows about in the air

with curls around their head.

Mommy and my own long hair

is a brownish tan,

ZKLFK�PRPP\�¿[HV�ZLWK�D�ÀDLUand ties up with a band.

Sometimes we get to share

in foods our moms prepare:

rice rolled in leaves of grapes,

potatoes made into pancakes,

baklava and chocolate cakes,

all made just for our sakes.

In different ways,

on different days,

we know we get to give God praise.

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On Friday in a mosque Myeda hears

God’s words that she so reveres.

She bows down so very very low

from her head to her tippytoe

and does so every day

when she hears the call to pray.

On Saturday Molly’s family takes their jog

to pray at their nearby synagogue.

There they open up their scroll

that’s wrapped so well on a roll

and hear sacred stories that are old

that give new meaning when retold.

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On Sunday I get to go to church

and on a pew I pray and perch,

hear stories of Jesus from above

who came down to us to share His love.

We take these stories to our heart

and use them when the week does start.

We three began to walk

and talk and talk and talk

about what we do see

that in our faith is key.

Myeda’s says,“We tell God we’re sorry for doing what is wrong,

especially when we’re fasting during Ramadan.”

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Molly’s says,“We also let each other know, what we’ve done that’s bad

and ask God to let it go,

because it makes him sad.”

I say,“We know God forgives us when we make mistakes,

because Jesus loves us just for our own sakes.”

All of us can see

that we do all agree,

God’s love is big and wide

and holds us all inside,

so…

when we see someone new,

we ask them to join us,

because they’re God’s child too.