good to share

[Guest guest]

> > I am a mother of three (ages 14,12, and 3) and

> >

> > have recently completed my college degree.

> >

> > The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the

> >

> > 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 reactions. 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.

> >

> > My husband, youngest son, and I went out to

> >

> > McDonald's 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 gentlemen, close to me,

> >

> > he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes

> >

> > were full of God's Light as he searched for

> >

> > acceptance. 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 gentlemen 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.

> >

> > (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and

> >

> > warm up, they had to buy something. He 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 notices 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 that we

> >

> > had been given, that we were 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 and being part

> >

> > of God, share this need to heal people and be

> >

> > healed.

> >

> > In my own way I had touched the people at

> >

> > McDonald's, 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...

> >

> > Much love and compassion is sent to each and

> >

> > every person who may read this and learn how

> >

> > TO LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS not

> >

> > LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

> >

> > If you think this story has touched you in any

> >

> > way, please send it to everyone you know.

> >

> > There is an Angel sent to watch over you. In

> >

> > order for he/she to work, you must pass this

> >

> > story on to the people you want watched over.

> >

> > An Angel wrote: Many people will walk in and

> >

> > out of your life, but only true friends will

> >

> > leave footprints in your heart.

> >

> > "Do not proclaim everything you know,

> >

> > But only that which should be proclaimed.

> >

> > That which you do not know, do not affirm or deny;

> >

> > Best of all - inquire: then thou will be discreet."

> >

> > Ilarion Pobirokhin