She was dedicated to her grandparents and sacrificed her future to look after them but all they left her was an old umbrella. But there was something hidden in it.
Lesley, George, and Wilson Farrel’s parents had died in a car crash when they were children, and their grandparents stepped forward to raise them. George had been eleven, Wilson nine, and Lesley just five.
Their grandparents had carefully stretched their parent’s insurance money to pay for the older boys’ education, but when it was time for Lesley to go to college, her grandmother became very ill.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
There was no way Lesley was going to turn her back on her beloved grandparents, so she enrolled in the local community college and attended classes when she could.
Unfortunately, her grandmother passed away, but Wilson and George didn’t come to the funeral. They sent regrets and flowers, but they were clearly not interested in taking on responsibility for the man who’d raised them.
God’s justice moves slowly but it never fails
So Lesley took care of her grandfather, and when two years later she met William and decided to get married, she moved into a small house down the street. She continued to cook and care for her grandfather right up until his last days.
At no time did her brothers, now both wealthy successful men, ever ask if she or her grandfather needed help, financial or otherwise. “It’s not that we need them,” Lesley told her husband, “but it just shows such ingratitude!
“My grandparents were in their seventies and they took on three kids. Instead of enjoying their retirement, they took on the work and responsibility and my brothers don’t seem to care!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Hun,” William said tenderly, “what goes around comes around. God’s justice moves slowly but it never fails!”
Lesley shook her head. “I don’t believe that!” she said. “They are nasty ungrateful men and we are struggling, how is that justice?” But William just shook his head and told her to be patient.
Lesley’s grandfather became frailer and frailer, until the sad day when she came in to bring him breakfast and found that he’d passed away in his sleep. Lesley was devastated.
She called her brothers and distant family and made the arrangements for the funeral. She thought her brothers wouldn’t come to her grandfather’s funeral but they surprised her.
That afternoon, Lesley understood Wilson and George’s willingness to attend: they wanted their share of the inheritance. Their grandfather’s lawyer had asked them to meet him at the old house.
Wilson and George looked around appreciatively. “This house will be worth quite a bit on the market!” said George.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Yes,” said Wilson. “Especially if we market it as a potential bed & breakfast!”
But the lawyer shook his head. “I’m afraid your grandfather has left the house and its contents to the Children’s Association,” he said. “As a shelter for at-risk children.”
“What?” cried Wilson angrily. “What about US?”
“Yes,” said George, “We’re his flesh and blood! Didn’t he care about our welfare?”
“Stop it!” cried Lesley. “Grandpa did everything he could for us, everything! It’s his house, and it was his right to dispose of it as he wished.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
The lawyer said, “Your grandfather did leave some tokens of his affection,” he said, and he placed an ornate silver pocket watch, a silver chain with an antique cross, and an old dark green umbrella on the table.
Wilson picked up the pocket watch greedily. “The old man was holding out on us!” he said. “This watch is from the time of the Civil War. It might be worth something!”
“As per your grandfather’s instructions, you will each choose an item according to your age: so George, you choose first, then Wilson, then Lesley,” the lawyer explained.
Wilson frowned crossly as George picked up the pocket watch, then he stepped forward and claimed the silver cross. “Looks like you get the umbrella, Lesley!” he said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Lesley picked up the umbrella and touched the heavy wooden handle lovingly. “This was grandpa’s favorite, you know. He said it was the best for a rainy day!”
George laughed cruelly. “Let’s hope it still works,” he said. “It’s raining now!” Lesley peered outside. It was pouring!
“In that case, this umbrella is just perfect,” Lesley said and walked to the front door. She opened the door and unfurled the umbrella and something fluttered down and stuck in her hair, then something else…
Lesley stared in astonishment as dozens of bills fell out of the folds of the old umbrella. Geoge scoffed. “So that was the old man’s rainy day fund?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Lesley picked up a note and gasped. “This is a $1000 bill! I’d never seen one before!”
“What?” Wilson stepped forward and bent to pick up a bill but the lawyer stopped him.
“The umbrella and its contents belong to your sister,” he said coldly. “You and your brother made your choices.”
George was furious. “But there are dozens of $1000 bills! That’s a lot of money!”
Lesley was looking at the bills closely. “They look brand new as if they’ve just been printed!” she said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Your grandfather and your great-grandfather collected those bills for decades, Lesley, up until they were withdrawn from circulation in the late 1960s,” the lawyer said. “These mint-condition bills are collector’s items. They are each worth between $10,000 and $12,000…”
Lesley was stunned! Her grandfather had left her a valuable legacy after all. With the money from the sale of the bills, she and William paid off their house, bought a new car, and started their own rainy day fund.
Meanwhile, Lesley’s grandfather’s old house became a shelter and helped many sad and lonely children find happiness. As for Wilson and George, they were outraged and declared that Lesley had cheated them out of their inheritance.
What can we learn from this story?
- Greed can lead to bad judgment. Wilson and George’s greed led them to mistakenly pick out the least valuable item.
- God’s justice moves slowly but it never fails. Wilson and George got what they deserved and Lesley was rewarded for her kindness.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young mother who finds an unexpected windfall inside a second-hand stroller she bought for her baby.
Dolly Parton grew up “dirt poor,” never seeing a toilet until she was eight, and now generously donates to charities.
Dolly Parton is one of the most well-known performers in the country music scene and has been for many years. She has long been recognized for her melodic voice, inventive lyrics, and distinct sound.
Her career started when her first album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” came out in 1967. Since then, she’s had a lot of hits, like “Jolene,” “9 to 5”, and “Coat of Many Colors.”
Also, Parton wrote and sang the epic ballad “I Will Always Love You” in 1973. Whitney Houston made the song famous in 1992.
Parton is a businesswoman, actress, author, and humanitarian, in addition to being a singer-songwriter. She has used her influence to benefit society through her music and shows.
She has always gone out of her way to be an inspiring role model for many individuals worldwide. Dolly Parton’s influence on music will last for a long time because she is such a talented artist who stands out from other country musicians.
Dolly Parton grew up in poverty and trouble. She was born on January 19, 1946, in Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children, and grew up in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River with her parents and siblings.
Her father was a sharecropper without education, while her mother was of Welsh origin. “We were dirt poor but wonderfully joyful,” Parton later stated of her family. Despite their absence of material belongings, they were overjoyed and filled with love.
Parton fell in love with music when she was young, thanks to the stories and ballads her mother told her. Parton was determined to make a name for herself, so when she graduated from high school, she moved to Nashville to start a music career.
Parton’s dedication eventually made her one of country music’s most famous musicians. Many people named her the 2021 Person of the Year for all she has accomplished as a true icon.
Parton has also done a lot of charity work for her career, which shows how much she cares about other people.
She thinks that giving back will help others who are going through similar difficulties achieve success as she did despite their terrible circumstances.Dolly Parton reflected on her humble beginnings growing up in a low-income family.
Although meals were limited, and they frequently slept three to a bed, her parents could put a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, and clothes on their backs for their children.
Despite their lack of financial resources, they were surrounded by others who suffered far harder than they did.
The family’s modest cabin was barely big enough for them, so they spent most of their time outside. When she was eight, Dolly first saw a toilet when visiting her aunt’s house. She was initially scared to use it since she thought it would suck her down!
During the winter, the family made their soap and bathed once a week, and during high school, she had to wash her bed every day because her brothers left it dirty at night.
Dolly Parton, who grew up in poverty and had a rough childhood, has always remembered the lessons she learned from her family.
She brings up these recollections when discussing her music and other elements of her life. “My love for my family will never end,” she adds, adding that it “is always there and directs me in whatever I do.”
Her fortune is reported to be approximately $375 million, but she continues to donate to charity. Parton founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988, initially granting scholarships to students at the high school she attended.
However, it has expanded to include many more schools and deserving instructors. This foundation is just one example of Parton’s generosity; it demonstrates how deeply she cares about helping others less lucky than herself.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was a remarkable initiative created by the artist in 1995 as an homage to her late father. It began in Tennessee but quickly spread around the country, delivering over 1.3 million books to over two million children each month.
The effort reached an extraordinary milestone in 2018 when the 100 millionth book was distributed, something Parton confessed she could never have thought would happen.
She added that it all felt like destiny and that she had planned for it to be a unique project dedicated to her father’s home county and the surrounding areas.
Parton’s kindness shows up when things go wrong, like when she set up the My People Fund after the devastating Great Smoky Mountains wildfires in 2016. More than $9 million was raised to help 900 families affected by the disaster.
Parton also gave a lot of money to Vanderbilt University Medical Center after her niece got treatment there for leukemia.
Dolly Parton has been incredibly generous throughout her life and business. She has donated to several causes, including the American Red Cross, HIV/AIDS charities, and animal rights organizations.
Parton also became a prominent champion for Covid vaccines in 2020, donating $1 million to help create the Moderna vaccine.
Parton’s giving comes effortlessly, and she is deeply committed to it. She once stated in an interview that she is “addicted to the sensation of giving” and enjoys “knowing that I’m making a difference in the lives of others.”
Dolly Parton’s caring attitude and upbringing have significantly influenced her philanthropy – her generosity has been essential in making charitable contributions to better the communities around her.
Because of her kind donations, many people and groups have been able to make significant contributions to important causes, which we are grateful for.
Dolly Parton’s compassion, kindness, and help for people who are less lucky than us will inspire others.
Leave a Reply