UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 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 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. (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. 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 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 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. If you think this

story has touched you in any way, please send this to everyone you

know.

May God bless you.

Author unknown, contributed by Emily