Don't Hope Friend...Decide

by Michael Hargrove (Mialed to me by Natasha Kamal from Pakistan)

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life changing experiences that you hear other people talk about. You know, the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly? Well, this one occurred a mere two feet away from me! Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First, he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, and movingly loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say, "It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, diverted his eyes, and replied softly, "Me too, Dad!"

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9) and while cupping his son's face in his hands he said, "You're already quite the young man. I love you very much Zach!" They too hugged a most loving, tender hug. His son said nothing. No reply was necessary.
While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one and a half) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, "Hi baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder and remained motionless in total pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, "I've saved the best for last!" and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then quietly said, "I love you so much!".

They stared into each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant, they reminded me of newlyweds but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't be. I puzzled about it for a moment, then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me.

I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I were invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, "Wow! How long have you two been married?"

"Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face.

"Well then, how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile and told me, "Two whole days!"

Two days?! I was stunned! I was certain by the intensity of the greeting I just witnessed that he'd been gone for at least several weeks, if not months, and I know my _expression betrayed me. So, I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!"

The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with an intensity that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, "Don't hope friend...decide." Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, "God bless!". With that, he and his family turned and energetically strode away together.

I was still watching that special man and his exceptional family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What'cha looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, "My future!"

Love and madness

Long time ago, before the world was created and humansset foot on it, God had put all the human "qualities"in a separate room.

Since all the qualities were bored they decided toplay hide & seek."Madness" was one of the qualities and he shouted:"I want to count, I want to count!"And since nobody was crazy enough to want to seek"Madness", all the other qualities agreed.

So "Madness" leaned against a tree and startedto count: "One, two,three..."As "Madness" counted, the qualities went hiding."Treason" hid in a pile of garbage.."Lie" said that it would hide under a stone, but hidat the bottom of the lake.

And Madness continued to count "... seventy nine,eighty, eighty one..."By this time, all the qualities were already hiddenexcept "Love ".

For stupid as "Love" is, he could not decide whereto hide. And this should not surprise us, becausewe all know how difficult it is to hide "Love"."

Madness": "...ninety five, ninety six, ninetyseven..." Just when "Madness" got to one hundred........."Love" jumped into a rose bush where he hid.

And Madness turned around and shouted: "I'm coming, I'm coming!"As Madness turned around, "Laziness" was the firstto be found, because "Laziness" was too lazy to hide."

Madness" searched madly and found "Lie" at the bottomof the lake.

One by one, Madness found them all except Love. Madness was getting desperate, unable to find Love.

Envious of Love, "Envy" whispered to "Madness" "You only need to find Love, and Love is hiding in the rosebush."

"Madness" Jumped on the rose bush and he heard loud cry. The thorns in the bush had pierced "Loves" eyes.

Hearing the commotion God came into the room and sawwhat had happened. He got very angry and cursed "Madness" and said since "Love" has become blind because of u ...u shall always be with him"

And so it came about that from that day on,"Love is blind and is always accompanied by Madness!!!"