The worst thing in the world, that anyone can ever imagine has just happened. My best friend has died. To a stranger, this would not mean as much but to a relative or someone as close to her as I, it would mean time of depression, not being sure of the weeks or maybe months that would come to follow. Telling this to you, with tears streaming down my cheeks, is a horror that one should not be summoned to do. I feel as if I had known her my whole life. She was so young and she loved to help me or anyone else with anything we did. Anyway, I must start telling you of this tragic tale before I get caught up in my happy memories and forget to tell you her story.

      ‍It all started in 128 AD in the country of Italy. That was when Charity was born; a year earlier her sister, Hope, was born; and her oldest sister, Faith was born two years prior to Hope. I didn't know her very well because we didn't have much time together but she told me that it was a truly special time because now they had a family. Their father died shortly after Charity was born so they did not know him well. The sisters helped their mother, Sophia, around the house and did their chores along with their studies for each day. Charity and I liked to go out and listen to the Apostles and Prophets preach, but could not go very often because of our responsibilities to our separate households and families. Occasionally we were able to sneak away and listen. Having Charity with me made it seem like treat!

      ‍We were both baptized and believed faithfully in God, like trusty servants. While we were growing up, many people sought the wisdom that Charity learned from her mother. Then as time went on, people sought her faithfulness to God as well. It seemed as though everyone wanted to talk to her. They wanted to test her by seeing if she was as smart as some had said. When they sought her wisdom, and she would give it to them, hoping that they will use it for good and not evil. She was very polite about it though and cared enough to explain the meaning of the words to them.

      ‍We got to spend more time with each other because of the permission granted to us by our mothers when we asked. We would go on long walks but never too far because of our shared fear of thieves. We talked about everything from family life to the interpretation of the message we had heard from the Prophets. Charity told me about her visit to Eparch Antiochus that went very well and how pleased the Eparch was to see the wisdom that was passed down through the generations. It was only until the most heartbreaking day, in all of my nine years, two weeks after that conversation, that when I was on my way to Charity's household I heard the pounding before I saw what was going on. I quickly hid behind a bush so I was not to be seen. On that very day, I saw two guards breaking down Charity's household door and carrying her, her sisters and mother out while they prayed loudly to God for protection. That melted my heart and I started to cry. I knew that they would be taken to Emperor Hadrian, who was ruler at the time. I was never to hear from Charity, her sisters, or her mother again so I assumed the worst had happened to them. It was not until the following week that I knew what had truly happened to her. She had been placed in a furnace and when the guards saw nothing had happened to her, they took her out and beheaded her.

      ‍For the time that we were together, Charity was my best friend. We did everything together and had very emotional talks about different topics. She taught me and many others that God was always there for us, even during our times of doubt. I mourned her loss years after that tragic day and was usually left alone by most people for the tragedy had left me sensitive. I will always cherish everything we did together; all the happy memories will stay with me forever and I cannot wait until the day we are reunited in heaven. Charity will always be in my heart no matter where I go or whatever will happen to me. If Charity was alive today, she would tell me that I should respect and love everyone, no matter what wrong doings they had bestowed upon me.

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   Post-Script

      I choose Saint Charity because she never stopped believing in God and died being a believer. She was immensely wise because her mother, Sophia, was incredibly smart too. I also like that she is a named after one of the three main virtues and with that, her name will encourage me to do great things for people all over the world. Saint Charity is truly an inspiration to me and I would like for her name to be with me forever.

Image: Karp Zolotaryov Sophia Faith Hope Charity from Wikimedia Commons public domain