Category: Let's talk
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 a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home 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 mind 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.
So, the parents would not have reacted differently if the son had just come out and said it. The moral of the story is, "no screwing around, tell things as they are". I would not be happy with my kid bringing home some dude to live with us, regardless if his ability or otherwise, unless it was for a specific amount of time and for a specific reason, and having lost a leg does not give an end date. So I just don't agree with the story at all, but, friendship is precious and awesome, and does not need any Lifetime type stories to go with it.
I echo the last ppost completely.
As do I. Very well said.
Another trip round the mountain for this one I guess.
What did all these story writers do before Usenet, forwarded emailsand now, sites like Facebook and this one?
i for one, was touched by the story. i will not critique, just appreciate it for what it is.
I won't criticize your enjoying it: my daughter's like that.
It takes all kinds.
iwould let a different person. come in live with me. bbut that's me. smiles. i've got a careing and loveing old sole.
I agree with Kayla.
you got to love people with the challengs.
true, I suppose, it's all about comfort and money and things like that nothing about profit and how much potential he might be. IT's an interesting tail that makes even the best of us stop and consider our actions and who we are.
I liked the story, but it had its flaws. first of all, the guy could've just told his parents it was him, and I don't think the fact that he didn't really adds anything to the story. Second of all, I completely lost interest the moment God was brought into it. It totally ruined it for me.
yes, we do need to get to know people before we judge, but we also need to get to know people before we love. maybe that's not the case for all people, but I don't feel any shame in saying I'm not going to give any random person off the street unconditional love. Will I respect them as a person? Hell yeah. Will I judge them? Not based on their appearance or any physical characteristic, but that's different from love.
Agreed with jes leo and WB here.
Tacking god onto the end of thatreally trivialised the message though.