The King's Speech--by Linden Malki

 
We were all created with a "thorn in our flesh" . Some of them are more visible than others.

Once upon a time there were two brothers. (Actually, there were more, but this story is about the oldest two.) The older one was the Golden Boy--handsome, a popular playboy,  knew he was going to grow up to be King.  Unfortunately, he was not necessarily a nice person; irresponsible, did not always make the best choices.  When it came time to live up to his heritage, he walked away.

The younger brother was the responsible one; did what his family needed him to do. His "thorn" was that he could not speak well; he had a stammer.  He also had a wife who found a speech therapist that was able to help him learn to speak well enough to do what needed to be done.  It might even have been the handicap that made him the person that was needed at the time.

At first glance, it looked like the younger brother was dealt the worse hand.  But with the right attitude, the right person by his side, and the right mentor,  this three-fold cord held in a situation that literally had the fate of the world at risk, and prevailed.  The younger brother, King George VI of Great Britain, ended his Christmas message in 1939, as Europe was descending into war, with this:



"I believe from my heart that the cause that binds together my peoples and our faithful and gallant Allies is the cause of Christian civilization.  On no other basis can a true civilization be built.   Let us remember this through the dark times ahead of us and when we are making the peace for which all men pray. A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle we shall remain undaunted. In the meantime I feel that we may all find a message of encouragement in the lines which, in my closing words, I would like to say to you: 'I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year , "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied, "Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way."' May that Almighty Hand guide and uphold us all."
[http://www.royal.gov.uk]