Wednesday, December 24, 1997
A former thief returns Christmas lights
By Ken Ellsworth / Abilene Reporter-News
WINTERS -- Dorine and Joe Kozelsky have their Christmas lights
back and to them it is a miracle.
"Now we have a happy front yard," Mrs. Kozelsky,
73, said Tuesday.
The same front yard started out happy in 1990, but turned out
to be sad.
That year, the Kozelskys were driving home in early December
from Dallas after a final eye checkup for Mr. Kozelsky, now 75.
The risky eye treatment had saved the cabinet maker's eyesight
and the couple were so elated over the success of treatment they
decided to celebrate by stopping in Abilene to buy Christmas lights.
"It was the biggest box of chaser lights we could find,"
Mrs. Kozelsky said. "We knew that when our little granddaughter
saw them her little eyes would just pop."
The next day Mr. and Mrs. Kozelsky strung the lights on the
holly bushes at their Winters home. The lights were more than
beautiful and, for the Kozelskys, filled with meaning.
"We stood out there and prayed and thanked God for the
lights and the gift of sight. We just let them twinkle, twinkle,"
Mrs. Kozelsky said.
Four nights later the lights were stolen, torn from the holly.
"I guess we just weren't supposed to have them,"
Mr. Kozelsky said at the time.
Mr. and Mrs. Kozelsky tried not to be bitter, but they wondered
who could have done such a thing and why.
Seven years passed, but the Kozelskys remembered the night
they lost their lights with sadness. Still, they hoped the thief
had put the lights to good use.
"We try not to make snap judgements or hold grudges, because
there isn't enough time in life for that," Mrs. Kozelsky.
"But it was a sadness that had been with me all these years.
Recently, Mrs. Kozelsky has been ill. She and her husband have
been driving often to Abilene for treatment.
"I had been dreading Christmas. I have not been in good
shape," Mrs. Kozelsky said. "And I'd been praying because
prayer beats anything, but this year I needed a miracle."
Not long ago, the miracle came in the shape of a big box. Mr.
Kozelsky almost tripped on it as he went out to get the morning
paper. He brought the box in, though, and put it on the kitchen
bar.
When Mrs. Kozelsky saw the box she noticed a letter attached
to the outside of the box that was precisely and neatly printed
by hand. She read the words.
"In reparation for a wrong done a few years back. Have
a Merry Christmas," said the writer.
Inside the big box were new Christmas chaser lights.
"I was the biggest box of dancing, flashing Christmas
lights you ever saw in your life," Mrs. Kozelsky said. "We
were so overwhelmed, so lifted up, and we knew that everything
would turn out well again. I wanted to know who was this person
and where was this person so that I could hug them and tell them
how precious they were after all these years. We've lived a whole
life time and never had an experience like this."
Now, Mrs. Kozelsky feels fortified and strengthened. She is
looking forward to Christmas. And she has found the strength to
try to go on and regain her health, no matter how many treatments
and trips to Abilene it takes.
"If all that turns out OK, I'll come back tougher than
a boot," Mrs. Kozelsky said.
And she has a message for a former thief:
"You have given us the most precious of all gifts -- hope,
kindness, peace and faith in the future. May you have a wonderful,
merry Christmas, whoever you are."
This column covers the cities and communities of this part
of West Texas. To contact Ken Ellsworth, call (800) 588-6397 or
(915) 676-6777, or write to P.O. Box 30, Abilene, TX 79604, or
send E-mail to regional@abinews.com.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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