By Malinda Dunlap Fillingim
A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.
~Thomas á Kempis
My daughters, Hope and Hannah, have been blessed with many things: loving parents, keen intellect, great humor, athletic abilities, and beauty... inwardly and outwardly. My home is full of ribbons, medals, certificates, and various other awards they have accumulated over the years.
A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.
~Thomas á Kempis
My daughters, Hope and Hannah, have been blessed with many things: loving parents, keen intellect, great humor, athletic abilities, and beauty... inwardly and outwardly. My home is full of ribbons, medals, certificates, and various other awards they have accumulated over the years.
But the one thing they have never had in abundance is money.
In fact, with parents who work as ministers, they will never get a lot of money from home. They have worn hand-me-downs, thrift store clothing and have done without many things because of our low income. They never complained, never cried out for something we could not afford. In fact, I think they are more appreciative and well rounded because their feelings of worth do not come from external things.
When my older daughter Hope was five years old she was looking for a gift to give me for Christmas. Not having any money of her own, Hope went to different neighbors and asked if she could do odd jobs to make some money. I don't know how she did it, but that Christmas she gave me a gift I will never forget.
Because money was so tight, I had not been able to subscribe to the newspaper. Reading a newspaper is one of my pleasures, and I would gather one at doctors' offices or anywhere else a free one might be found.
Hope knew this as we often read these freebies together. Thus, her gift.
It was wrapped tightly in bright festive paper and taped together with several layers of clear tape.
Small enough to be held in the palm of my hand, I questioned the contents of this precious gift.
Hope laughed, "You'll love it!"
Inside were two quarters.
"It's for a newspaper," she said. "We can go get one fresh out of the machine!" I held those precious quarters in my hand and knew then that I was a vey rich woman.
That was many years ago. Hope is in college now. When she left for college, I gave her a jar of quarters, a reminder that her love was priceless to me. It was a reminder that love costs nothing, but means everything to a mother and her daughter.
In fact, with parents who work as ministers, they will never get a lot of money from home. They have worn hand-me-downs, thrift store clothing and have done without many things because of our low income. They never complained, never cried out for something we could not afford. In fact, I think they are more appreciative and well rounded because their feelings of worth do not come from external things.
When my older daughter Hope was five years old she was looking for a gift to give me for Christmas. Not having any money of her own, Hope went to different neighbors and asked if she could do odd jobs to make some money. I don't know how she did it, but that Christmas she gave me a gift I will never forget.
Because money was so tight, I had not been able to subscribe to the newspaper. Reading a newspaper is one of my pleasures, and I would gather one at doctors' offices or anywhere else a free one might be found.
Hope knew this as we often read these freebies together. Thus, her gift.
It was wrapped tightly in bright festive paper and taped together with several layers of clear tape.
Small enough to be held in the palm of my hand, I questioned the contents of this precious gift.
Hope laughed, "You'll love it!"
Inside were two quarters.
"It's for a newspaper," she said. "We can go get one fresh out of the machine!" I held those precious quarters in my hand and knew then that I was a vey rich woman.
That was many years ago. Hope is in college now. When she left for college, I gave her a jar of quarters, a reminder that her love was priceless to me. It was a reminder that love costs nothing, but means everything to a mother and her daughter.
http://www.chickensoup.com
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий