Hello Steve, thanks for sending this. What a beautiful story. I'm going to save this one. Original message: > Unconditional Acceptance > I am a mother of three, ages 14, 12 and 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 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 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 deficient 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. > 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 to each and every person who may read this > and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
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