A box of gold
Recovering Codependant
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Liverpool, Great Britain
Posts: 1,335
A box of gold
I have just received this story in email and wanted to share it with my cyber friends....
Breakfast at McDonald's
This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end!
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 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. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime 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.
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 challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman 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 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 that we had been given 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 and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my 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.
There is an Angel sent to watch over you.
In order for her to work, you must pass this 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. To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart. God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.
A Box of gold
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
With a secret inside
that has never been told
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This box is priceless
but as I see
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The treasure inside is
precious to me
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Today I share this
treasure with thee
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It's the treasure of
friendship you've
given me.
Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Breakfast at McDonald's
This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end!
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 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. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime 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.
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 challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman 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 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 that we had been given 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 and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my 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.
There is an Angel sent to watch over you.
In order for her to work, you must pass this 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. To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart. God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.
A Box of gold
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
With a secret inside
that has never been told
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This box is priceless
but as I see
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The treasure inside is
precious to me
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Today I share this
treasure with thee
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It's the treasure of
friendship you've
given me.
Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Stumbling toward happiness
Posts: 4,706
What a wonderful story, Lily. Thanks so much.
It is strange how our hearts get so complicated sometimes, and simple events like this make it clear how simple things can be. Walking downtown during the political convention in our city not too long ago, a man took off his hat and approached me, asking if I had anything to spare. I'm sort of conditioned not to "see" homeless people as there are soooo many. But for some reason this man caught my attention. I sat down with him on a stoop and dug around in my pockets and backpack, and came up with about three dollars I could give him, and he thanked me. But it was when I said, "Please take care of yourself" to him that his eyes filled with tears and he smiled. I was amaaaazed that such a small thing made such a big difference. Wow.
Smiling at three people -- that's a really nice thing to do :ghug
It is strange how our hearts get so complicated sometimes, and simple events like this make it clear how simple things can be. Walking downtown during the political convention in our city not too long ago, a man took off his hat and approached me, asking if I had anything to spare. I'm sort of conditioned not to "see" homeless people as there are soooo many. But for some reason this man caught my attention. I sat down with him on a stoop and dug around in my pockets and backpack, and came up with about three dollars I could give him, and he thanked me. But it was when I said, "Please take care of yourself" to him that his eyes filled with tears and he smiled. I was amaaaazed that such a small thing made such a big difference. Wow.
Smiling at three people -- that's a really nice thing to do :ghug
Recovering Codependant
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Liverpool, Great Britain
Posts: 1,335
Such a powerful thing, I love to smile at people, especially those who I find are showing signs of anger/frustration. I get a lot of comments about how I am always happy and smiling!
Have you seen this peom before? This was on display at my school and then later I saw it on one of my jobs...
Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it, like the flu.
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner,
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled, I realised,
I had passed it on to him.
I thought about the grin
and then realised its worth.
A single little smile like mine
could travel round the Earth.
So if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Lets start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!
Anon.
Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Have you seen this peom before? This was on display at my school and then later I saw it on one of my jobs...
Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it, like the flu.
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner,
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled, I realised,
I had passed it on to him.
I thought about the grin
and then realised its worth.
A single little smile like mine
could travel round the Earth.
So if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Lets start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!
Anon.
Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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