A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart ... for it was perfect.  There was not a mark or flaw in his heart.  Yes, they all agreed ... truly it was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen!

     The young man was very proud and boasted even more loudly about his beautiful heart.

     Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Young man, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."

     The crowd and the young man gathered to look at the old man's heart.  It was beating strongly but it was full of scars ... there were places where pieces had been removed ... other pieces had been put in its place but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.  In fact, in some places, there were deep gouges where entire pieces were missing.

     The people stared ... how could he possibly say that his heart was more beautiful?  The young man looked at the old man's heart and began to laugh.  "You must be joking old man," he said.  "Compare your heart with mine.  Your heart is a mess ... with scars and tears ... while mine is perfect!"

     "Yes," said the old man.  "Yours looks perfect but I would never trade mine with yours.  You see ... every scar represents a person to whom I've given my love.  I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them.  Quite often, they give me a piece of their heart that fits into the empty place in my heart; but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges ... but I cherish them because they remind me of the love we shared.  Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away but the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me.  This leaves empty gouges ... for giving love is taking a chance.  Although these gouges are painful, they stay open ... reminding me of the love I have for these people ... and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting.  So, now do you see what true beauty is?"

     The young man stood silently ... tears streaming down his cheeks. 

     He walked up to the old man ... reaching into his own perfectly young and beautiful heart ... ripped a piece out.  With trembling hands ... he offered it to the old man.

     The old man took his offering ... placed it in his heart.  He then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound, left in the young man's heart.  It fit ... not quite perfectly ... as there were some jagged edges.

     The young man ... looking at his heart ... knowing it was not perfect anymore ... but he knew it was more beautiful than ever ... as the love from the old man's heart flowed into his. 

     Walking away ... the old man and the young man embraced, as they walked side by side.