Wednesday, December 16, 2009

This is a tear jerker

This is a Rex Barker story.
This story is about a soldier who was finally coming home from the war. 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 until a few days later, however, when 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.

This is Rex Barker, reminding you the most important spiritual message for us all is to follow Gods example and love people unconditionally.


13 comments:

Kavita Saharia said...

Very touching and thought provoking...nice one.

Anonymous said...

That's such a sad story- makes you think about the priorities in our lives.
vickie

Arkansas Patti said...

You were right, the tears are falling.

Lady Di Tn said...

Sad but true. Thanks for the reminder. Peace

DeniseinVA said...

That's a powerful story Patty with an even more powerful message. Thank you for sharing it.

Margaret Cloud said...

This make a person feel so sad, we are all guilty at one time or other of being like this, thanks Patty.

Beth Niquette said...

Wow. It is a great reminder to do everything we can to help those who have been hurt, or are in need.

My nephew is coming home for Christmas this year. He has been in the special forces for a couple of years now.

I am VERY proud of him.

Rinkly Rimes said...

How horribly sad and so believable.Thank you for telling it too us. I'll be remembering it for a long time.

Mental P Mama said...

Covered in chills. Hits hard.

Renie Burghardt said...

Heart breaking story! Brought tears to my eyes.

Take care!

Renie

Cheryl said...

A most touching story. Makes me stop and think.

Cheryl said...

A most touching story. Makes me stop and think.

Sunny said...

How sad. We should learn a lesson from this story.
Sunny