A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after
having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.
"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a
friend I'd like to bring home with me." "Sure," they replied,
"we'd love to meet him."
"There's something you should know" the son continued, "he was hurt
pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost
an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to
come live with us." "I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help
him find somewhere to live."
"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us." "Son," said the
father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone with such a
handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives
to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our
lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this
guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing
more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call
from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling
from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide.
The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the
city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him,
but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know,
their son had only one arm and one leg.
The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love
those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't like
people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would
rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy, beautiful, or smart
as we are.
Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us that way. Someone who
loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever
family, regardless of how messed up we are.
Tonight, before you tuck yourself in for the night, say a little
prayer that God will give you the strength you need to accept people
as they are, and to help us all be more understanding of those who
are different from us!!!
There's a miracle called Friendship that dwells in the heart. You
don't know how it happens or when it gets started but you know the
special lift. It always brings and you realize that Friendship is
God's most precious gift! Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.
They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear,
they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their
hearts to us. Show your friends how much you care....
Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you,
then you'll know you have a friend for life.
(
geocities.com/stauffer_james)