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 mine 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. Some-
one 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!!!
Receiving such inspiration as this message that came via the email
reinforces over and over that there are many wonderful caring
people in this world that do want to make a difference, in the eyes
of may, moreso in the eyes of God, our Creator!
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