BOYETTE
FROM THE DOOLITTLE CHRONICLES......
One Sunday morning Riley and I were walking down near the Lake, as had become our practice. His father was with Zeekee, Queen of the House, and I wanted to spend some time with my boyfriend.We walked down to the Lake on Sundays because that is when the Choir of the Cove met and had their Sunday service. I loved to listen to the melodies and psalms sung by the heavenly choir of the animal kingdom. I felt very blessed that Riley had brought me there to listen, had asked me to share in the joyful worshipping.
Sit here and close your eyes, he said and you will hear the voices of Heaven.
He was right. The geese sang the melody and the ducks harmonized with great precision. The seagulls held down the bass line and the arias sung by the soprano voiced orioles were a symphony to behold.
Every animal was welcome, every beast of the sea and the sky could join in.
However, there was one animal that was self conscious and shy. Her voice was as light as an angel and as pure as the sunset, but she sang for no one but herself.
Her name was Boyet, and she was a white rabbit.
Boyet was a plain rabbit, with no particular markings or distinctions to set her apart from the rest of the herd that she lived with in the vegetable patch right outside the shoreline. She sang only for herself and only when she was alone.
For Boyet was a rabbit that was far heavier than the rest of the rabbits in the herd, and for this she was at times withdrawn and felt very alone, feeling less than welcome. She was an embarrassment to the herd, and often shunned, or so she thought.
Boyet couldn’t understand why her girth was so different than the rest of the other rabbits, why she wasn’t petite and slim like her sisters. Although her sisters loved her, Boyet knew she was different than them. Their diets the same, somehow, she always ended up looking bigger than the rest.
And so time after time, she would go to the Sunday Services, sit in the back, and never sing.
One morning at dawn, however, when she thought she was alone in the cove, she raised her voice up to praise her God, high above the clouds and out over the Lake. Her timbre was pure and distinct, a lovely prayer of thanksgiving and adoration.
And I will raise you up, and I will raise you up, and I will raise you up on the laaaa aaast dayy…..
Riley and I had been walking, picking rocks and shells to add to our collection. We didn’t know where it was coming from, a voice so beautiful we had to stop in our tracks and listen.
Riley looked at me with tears in his eyes. Who is that? He asked
I shook my head to answer I don’t know. I didn’t dare speak, for fear of interrupting the performance.
Finally, the hymn was finished. No one continued to speak as we wanted to see if the voice would begin again. It did not and we heard a rustling in the bushes. We waited until the singer showed it’s face. We saw Boyet.
Boyet? he said incredulously Boyet that was you?
Boyet blushed from her head to her tail, which was quite easily noticeable since she was totally white.
Yes, she said in a small voice. That was I.
Oh Boyet, I exclaimed finally How beautiful you sing, how wonderous your voice. Why don’t you sing in the choir?
She explained, as only a rabbit can, the feelings of despair and rejection that went with wanting to sing out, but unable to. We listened as she unburdened herself.
Finally Riley spoke. Boyet, he said gently. Have you ever told anyone how you feel?
NO, she said
Have you ever sang for the Choir of the Cove? Do they know how lovely you sound?
No.
Don’t you think you should at least try? I am sure they do not judge you by your size.
You don’t think so?
No. But even if they did, that should not stop you from praising your God in the way that you have been enabled. You are truly blessed, Boyet, and the sin is not in that you are large, but in the fact that you do not share this gift with the others.
That is true. So very true, said voices in unison behind us. The rest of the Choir of the Cove had arrived and were beginning to set up for the service. The songs were usually let by one of the geese, as their voices were the strongest.
Will you lead us in song, sweet Boyet? Gaspar asked. He was the lead goose in the congregation, and his face was kind and wrinkled. Please lead us.
Really? Boyet asked, timidly and full of hope.
Yes! Yes! Yes! they all nodded and cheered. Sing out, Boyet! Sing out!
And so Boyet, cleared her bunny throat, and began her song of praise to her God.
Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee
How great thou art, How great thou art.
And the choir sang along, all with tears running down their faces, joy eminating from every pore. Their voices rang to heaven and all souls were nourished.
The Choir of the Cove were complete. Boyet learned it doesn’t matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter what the shortcoming. All God’s creatures are blessed with gifts that need to be shared with one another. We are all welcome at the table.
Riley and I walked back to the house quietly, as we heard the last verse finish off in the distance. Our hearts were at peace and contentment filled our souls. But the one who was filled with the most peace was Boyet.
And God in his heaven smiled.
