A Different Version of Footsteps

  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 mine 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 gift it
  always brings and you realize that Friendship is
  one of God's most precious gifts!

  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.