Guest guest Posted December 7, 1999 Report Share Posted December 7, 1999 [This one is being forwarded all over the net... Enjoy. ] Fwd: My endearing Christmas story to you. Author: Tag4hag 12/6/99 7:18 PM The Dime > >Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. > >Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any. > >The > >thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of > >keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour > >already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his > >mother's > >Christmas gift. He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I > > > >do > >come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend." > > > >Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of > >five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there > >just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the > >small > >wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. > > > >What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up > >for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, > >who > >ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had > >already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. > > > >Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from > >his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where > > > >the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, > >especially when he needed a man to talk to. Bobby walked from shop to shop, > >looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so > >beautiful and so out of reach. > > > >It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home then > >suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting > >off > >of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. > >Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment. > > > >As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire > >body > >and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned > >cold > >when the salesperson told him that he couldn't buy anything with only a > >dime. > >He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner > >asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could > >buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at > >Bobby and his ten cent offering. > > > >Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait > >here > >and I'll see what I can do for you." > > > >As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a > >boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers. > > > >The sound of the door closing as the last customer left, jolted Bobby back > >to > >reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. > >Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before > >Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny > > > >white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as > >the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box. > > > >"That will be ten cents young man." the shop owner said reaching out his > >hand > >for the dime. > >Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? > >No one else would give him a thing for his dime! > > > >Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have > > > >some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?" > > > >This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into > > > >his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was > >holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son." > > > >As he returned inside, the shop keeper's wife walked out. "Who were you > >talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?" > > > >Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he > >replied, > >"A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things > >to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen > >of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had > > > >lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes > >ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his > >mother with one small dime. "When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years > > > >ago. I too, was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A > > > >bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he > > > >wanted to give me ten dollars. > > > >"When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put > >together a dozen of my very best roses." The shop owner and his wife hugged > >each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they > >somehow didn't feel cold at all. > > > >May this story instill the spirit of CHRISTmas in you enough to pass this > >act > >along. > > > > > >Have a Joyous and Peace-filled season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 1999 Report Share Posted December 8, 1999 At 10:38 PM 12/7/99 -0500, you wrote: >Dharma <fisher1 > >[This one is being forwarded all over the net... Enjoy. ] > > Fwd: My endearing Christmas story to you. >Author: Tag4hag > 12/6/99 7:18 PM > >The Dime Hi Dharma, You know, when I first saw this, I thought, "this is one of those 'warm your heart' stories that's going to make me cry". And so it did. It's a good day to cry. Love, Melody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 1999 Report Share Posted December 13, 1999 Dear Dharma: Regrets for long delay in reply re: Christmas story. I have been fixing household and property wiring...so power has been sporadic all week long. Great story...very comforting to know that I am not the only sentimental marshmallow in the world. I used to go out and pick flowers from neighbor gardens (with their permission) during Easter, Christmas and my Mom's birthday, always preparing a special bouquet of whatever was in season or blooming. I remember one Christmas, that was particularly cold, when we lived in Santa Rosa, (Northern California) and all I could find were these tiny white flowers...all of the roses and carnations were long gone! I felt quite ashamed, but dressed them up with some ferns and dutifully placed them in one of our vases, with a red ribbon around the middle and presented in to her. I think I must have been about nine or ten. She smiled, and gave me a hug and kiss, and made a big deal about the flowers. "These are the most beautiful flowers! They are Edelweiss...and they are one of the few flowers that can even blossom in the snow. They are small, but very strong. They make an extra effort to survive and bloom in the worst of times. You had to make an extra effort just to find them. Remember, it's the effort you make for someone or something that matters...not the size of the flower or the price others place on it." I try to remember that, particularly when I am faced with times of meager means and dark winter days. Your story will be passed along to my friends, with much gratitude. Love and holiday hugs...have a warm sip from the Wassail Bowl in honor of our friendship... Blessings Love, Zenbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 1999 Report Share Posted December 13, 1999 ZEN2WRK [ZEN2WRK] Monday, December 13, 1999 1:48 PM Re: Fwd: My endearing Christmas story to you. ZEN2WRK Dear Dharma: Regrets for long delay in reply re: Christmas story. I have been fixing household and property wiring...so power has been sporadic all week long. Great story...very comforting to know that I am not the only sentimental marshmallow in the world. Sri Zenbabaji! We are all sentimental marshmallows here! Harsha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.