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A Smile
The class was asked to go out and smile at
three people and document their reaction.
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 McDonalds,
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 gentle man 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.
To sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had
to buy something, and they 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 that we
were 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 be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at
McDonalds, 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 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.
