What are we hanging on to ?

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

A nice story that I found on the web.

Good night and JAI MAA

Nanda

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The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting

with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of

glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

 

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!" Quickly

the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked

back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

 

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00 If you really want them,

I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save

enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week

away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

 

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted

out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores

and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could

pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her

another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the

necklace.

 

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up.

She wore them everywhere-play school, kindergarten, even to bed. The

only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a

bubble bath. Mother said if she got them wet, they would make her

neck turn green.

 

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for

bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read

her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked

Jenny, "Do you love me?"

 

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

 

"Then give me your pearls."

 

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess-the white horse

from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The

one you gave me. She's my favorite."

 

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed

her cheek with a kiss.

 

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked

again, "Do you love me?"

 

"Daddy, you know I love you."

 

"Then give me your pearls."

 

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand

new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have

the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

 

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves

you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

 

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her

bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed

her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

 

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

 

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy

And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a

little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

 

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out

with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other

hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case

with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had

them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-

store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure...

 

Makes one wonder, "What are we hanging on to?"

 

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