Words and Consequences...Veterans Day Story
A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.
"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. 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.
I can't tell you how many friends have sent me this story in emails. I can't tell you how many times I have thought about this story and how it reminds me of my own moments of foolishness and each time I remember a word I spoke that altered a relationship.
The truth is we love because the act of loving gives us something. That something is hard to define. But it is there, holding us up, and giving us the gift that was promised. We love, because we must, and no other thing is as important. There are no graves stones commemorating good workers. They look like this one. 👇
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.
I can't tell you how many friends have sent me this story in emails. I can't tell you how many times I have thought about this story and how it reminds me of my own moments of foolishness and each time I remember a word I spoke that altered a relationship.
The truth is we love because the act of loving gives us something. That something is hard to define. But it is there, holding us up, and giving us the gift that was promised. We love, because we must, and no other thing is as important. There are no graves stones commemorating good workers. They look like this one. 👇
If you are a soldier making a call let's hope the person on the other end of the phone loves unconditionally. We will all be caregivers and takers and some point. No one escapes without some sacrifice of self. We are after all vulnerable creatures.
And it always leads me to a tune...
Love,
The Lass
The Lass
This is actually dedicated to my childhood friend, who died recently...he was a warrior and spent his life paying a price, for a war that wounded many, both physically and mentally. Rest easy now, Bill. I will remember you always.
Bill Nelson
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