JUDGE ME BY THE FOOTPRINTS I LEAVE BEHIND
>
>
>A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having
>fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco. "Mom and Dad,
>I'm coming home, but I've got a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to
>bring with me." "Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him." "There's
>something you should know the son continued, he was hurt pretty badly in
the
>fighting. He stepped on a land mined and lost an arm and a leg. He has
>nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us." "I'm sorry to
hear
>that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live." "No, Mom and Dad,
>I want him to live with us." "Son," said the father, "you don't know what
>you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on
>us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this
>interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget
about
>this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own." At that point, the son hung
>up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him.
>
>A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco
>police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told.
>The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San
>Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their
>son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered
something
>they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one leg.
>
>The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love
those
>who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't like people who
>inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away
>from people who aren't as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are.
>
>Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us that way. Someone who loves
>us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family,
>regardless of how messed up we are.
>
>Tonight, before you tuck yourself in for the night, say a little prayer
>that God will give you the strength you need to accept people as they are,
>and to help us all be more understanding of those who are different from
>us!!!
>
>There's a miracle called -Friendship- that dwells in the heart. You don't
>know how it happens or when it gets started. But you know the special lift
>It always brings and you realize that Friendship Is God's most precious
>gift! Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and
>encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise,
and
>they always want to open their hearts to us.
>
>Show your friends how much you care....
>Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND!
>
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