Left alone with five daughters, Thérèse’s father worried about their education. He agreed to move to Lisieux, where his wife’s brother lived with his family. He found a house there surrounded by a big garden. “The house is called ‘Les Buissonnets’”,* he explained to Thérèse. “You’ll see, my little queen, we’ll be happy here.” “Oh, yes, Papa! Look how beautiful the garden flowers are!” Thérèse’s father smiled. A simple drop of water on a rose petal, and she was delighted! Yet, since the death of her mother, Thérèse often cried. She found comfort in talking to Jesus. She would then feel the sun dawning in her heart. One day, Pauline found her hiding behind her bed curtains. “What are you doing there?” she asked her. “Are you hiding?” “I was thinking”, answered Thérèse. “But thinking about what?” “I was thinking about the good Lord, about life, about eternity . . .” Secretly, Thérèse was already dreaming of giving her life to Jesus. *The French word for “little bushes”
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