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I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have
recently completed my college degree. The last class
I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was
absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish
every human being had been graced with. Her last
project of the term was called "Smile". The class
was asked to go out and smile at three people and
document their reaction.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at
everyone and say hello anyway.....so, I thought,
this would be a piece of cake (literally).
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband,
youngest son, and I went out to McDonalds, one crisp
March morning. It was just our way of sharing
special play time with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when
all of a sudden everyone around us began to back
away, and then even my husband did. I did not move
an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up
inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible
"dirty body" smell...and there standing
behind me were two poor homeless men. As I
looked down at the short gentleman, close to
me, he was "smiling"...his beautiful sky
blue eyes were full of God's Light as he
searched for acceptance. |
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He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he
had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his
hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the
second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed
gentle man was his salvation. I held my
tears......as I stood there with them.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they
wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that
was all they could afford (to sit in the restaurant
and warm up they had to buy something...they just
wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it...the compulsion was so great
I almost reached out and embraced the little man
with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes
in the restaurant were set on me...judging my every
action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the
counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a
separate tray. I then walked around the corner to
the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot.
I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the
blue eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me,
with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you". I
leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did
not do this for you...God is here working through me
to give you hope". I started to cry as I walked away
to join my husband and son. When I sat down my
husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave
you to me honey....to give me hope". We held hands
for a moment and at that time we knew that only
because of the Grace were we able to give .....
We are not church goers but we are believers. That
day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.
I returned to college, on the last evening of class,
with this story in hand. I turned in "my project"
and the instructor read it....then she looked up at
me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly nodded as
she got the attention of the class. She began to
read and that is when I knew that we as human beings
(part of God) share this need to heal.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonalds,
my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that
shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a
college student. I Graduated with one of the biggest
lessons I would ever learn....unconditional
acceptance......after all....we are here to learn!.
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