Collection of Heart Touching Stories

7/31/2019 Collection of Heart Touching Stories

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There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she was blind. She hated everyone,except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend. One day, someone donated a pair of eyesto her and then she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend askedher, now that you can see the world, will you marry me? The girl was shocked whenshe saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend

walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying: Just take c are of my eyes

dear. This is how human brain changes when the status changed. Only few remember what life was before, and whos always been there even in the most painful situations.

Today before you think of saying an unkind word think of someone who cant speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food think of someone who has nothing to eat.


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Before you complain about your husband or wife think of someone who is crying out to God for a companion.

Today before you complain about life think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children think of someone who desires children but theyre barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didnt clean or sweep think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker.


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And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down put a smile on your face and thank God youre alive and still around.

Life is a gift Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it, and Fulfill it.

My mom only had one eye. I hated her She was such an embarrassment. She cookedfor students and teachers to support the family. There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed.How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, EEEE, your mom only has one eye! I wantedto bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day andsaid, If youre only gonna make me a laughing stock, why dont you just die? My momdid not respond I didnt even stop to think for a second about what I had said ,because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings. I wanted out of that house,and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to

study. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I washappy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadnt seen me in years and she didnt even meet her grandchildren. When shestood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over


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uninvited. I screamed at her, How dare you come to my house and scare my children!GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!! And to this, my mother quietly answered, Oh, Im sosorry. I may have gotten the wrong address, and she disappeared out of sight. One day,a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I wasgoing on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letterthat she had wanted me to have. My dearest son, I think of you all the time. Im sorry that I came to your house and scared your children. I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you.

Im sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up. You see..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldnt stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave yo u mine. I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place,with that eye. With all my love to you, Your mother.

Can I see my baby? the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled inher arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. Thedoctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born


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without ears. Time proved that the babys hearing was perfect. It was only hisappearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mothers arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a successionof heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy: A boy, a big boy called me a freak. Hegrew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might havebeen class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.But you might mingle with other young people, his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart. The boys father had a session with the family physician. Couldnothing be done? I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be

procured, the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who wouldmake such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, You are going to thehospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But its a secret, said the father. The operation was a brilliant success, and a new personemerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. But I must know! Heurged his father, Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him. I donot believe you cou ld, said the father, but the agreement was that you are not to know not yet. The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come one of thedarkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mothers casket.


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Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brownhair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears. Mother said she was glad she neverlet her hair be cut, he whispered gently, and nobody ever thought Mother lessbeautiful, did they? Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart.Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real lovelies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the

firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days andnights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their returnfrom their trip, the father asked his son, How was the trip?

It was great, Dad.

Did you see how poor people live? the father asked.

Oh yeah, said the son. So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip? asked the father.


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The son answered, I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has no end. We haveimported lanterns in our garden, and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches tothe front yard, and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to liveon, and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around ourproperty to protect us; they have friends to protect them.

The boys father was speechless.

Then his son added, Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.

Some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold

wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried todecorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, Thisis for you, Daddy. He was embarrassed by his earlie r overreaction, but his anger flaredagain when he found the box was empty.


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He yelled at her, Dont you know that when you give someone a present, theressupposed to be something inside it?

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and sai d,Oh, Daddy, it is not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy.

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for herforgiveness.It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for years and whenever he wasdiscouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child

who had put it there.In a very real sense, each of us as humans have been given a gold container filled withunconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, family and God. There is nomore precious possession anyone could hold.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotelcoffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.


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How much is an ice cream sundae?

50 cents, replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it.

How much is a dish of plain ice cream? he inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient.

35 cents, she said brusquely.

The little boy again counted the coins. Ill have the plain ice cream, he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed.

When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowedhard at what she saw.

There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were 15 cents her tip.


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Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She

said: How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him? The surgeon said, Im sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didnt make it.

Sally said, Why do little children get cancer? Doesnt God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?

The surgeon asked, Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before hes transported to the university.

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good-bye to son. She ran her fingerslovingly through his thick red curly hair.

Would you like a lock of his hair? the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boys hair, put it in a plastic bag andhanded it to Sally. The mother said, It was Jimmys idea to donate his body to theuniversity for study. He said it might help somebody else. I said no at first, but Jimmy said, Mom, I wont be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little b oy spend


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one more day with his Mom. She went on, My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Alwaysthinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.

Sally walked out of Childrens mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmys belongings on the seat beside herin the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house.She carried Jimmys belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her sonsroom. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his roomexactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging hispillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a foldedletter. The letter said:

Dear Mom,

I know youre going to miss me; but dont think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving

you, just cause Im not around to say I LOVE YOU. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you wont be so lonely, thats okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldnt


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like the same things us boys do. Youll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Dont be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a

long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesnt look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on Gods knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. Thats when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I already knew that wasnt allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper

and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him Where was He when I needed him? God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what Ive written except you. To everyone

else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isnt that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. Im, sure the food will be great.


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Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I dont hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. Im glad because I couldnt stand that pain anymore and God couldnt stand to see me hurt so much, either. Thats when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said

I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Life is full of ups and downs. It is easy to lose hope and confidence. This little story helps us to realize that no matter what happens, we remain valuable as individuals.

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill.In the room of 200, he asked , Who would like this $20 bill?

Hands started going up.

He said, I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. Heproceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.

He then asked, Who still wants it?

Still the hands were up in the air.


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Well, he replied, What if I do this? And he dropped it on the ground and started togrind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. Now who still wants it? Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, no matter w hat I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the

decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what willhappen, you will never lose your value. You are special Dont ever forget it!

An elderly asian woman had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole, which shecarried across her neck.


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One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, thecracked pot arrived only half full.

For two years, this went on daily with the woman bringing home only one and a half potsof water. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. The poor cracked pot wasashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it could only do half of what it hadbeen made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman: I am

ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way to your house.

The old woman smiled, Did you notice that there are flowers on yo ur side of the path,but not on the other pots side?

Thats because I have always known about your flaw so I planted flower seeds on your

side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I havebeen able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.


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Moral: Like the pots, we all have our own unique flaws. But its the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

After the Earthquake had subsided, when the rescuers reached the ruins of a young womans house, they saw her dead body through the cracks. But her pose was somehow strange that she knelt on her knees like a person was worshiping; her body was leaning forward and her two hands were supporting an object. The collapsed house had crashedher back and her head.

With many difficulties, the leader of the rescuer team put his hand through a narrow gapon the wall to reach the womans body. He was hoping that this woman could still bealive. However, the cold and stiff body told him that she had passed away. He and therest of the team left this house and went to search the next collapsed building.

For some reasons, the team leader was driven by a compelling force to go back to the

ruin house of the dead woman. Again, he knelt down and used his hand through thenarrow cracks to search the little space under the dead body.

Suddenly, he screamed, A child! There is a child!


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The whole team worked together, carefully they removed the piles of ruined objectsaround the dead woman. There was a 3 months old little boy wrapped in a flowery blanket under his mothers dead body. Obviously, the woman had made an ultimate

sacrifice to save her son. When her house was falling, she used her body to make a cover to protect her son.

The medical doctor came quickly to exam the little boy. After he opened the blanket,he saw a cell phone inside. There was a text message on the screen, it said: Dear baby,

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.Your son is here, she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several timesbefore the patients eyes opened.

Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young

uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. TheMarine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old mans limp o nes, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.


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The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through thenight the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old mans handand offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the

Marine move away and rest awhile.He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of herand of the night noises of the hospital the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only

held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand hehad been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he

waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interruptedher.

Who was that man? he asked.

The nurse was startled, He was your father, she answered.


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No, he wasnt, the Marine replied. I never saw him before in my life.

Then why didnt you say something when I took you to him? I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and hisson just wasnt here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was hisson, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.

As you might know, the head of a major company survived the tragedy of 9/11 inNew York because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didnt go off in time. One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto

accident. One of them missed his bus.


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One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change. Ones car wouldnt start. One went back to answer the telephone. One had a child that dawdled and didnt get r eady as soon as he should have. One couldnt get a taxi. The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,

took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he isalive today.Now when I am stuck in traffic

miss an elevator turn back to answer a ringing telephone all the little things tha t annoy me I think to myself

this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.

The next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you cant seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light


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dont get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may youremember and appreciate their possible purpose.

One day, a young guy and a young girl fell in love.

But the guy came from a poor family. The girls parents werent too happy.

So the young man decided not only to court the girl but to court her parents as well. Intime, the parents saw that he was a good man and was worthy of their daughters hand.

But there was another problem: The man was a soldier. Soon, war broke out and he wasbeing sent overseas for a year. The week before he left, the man knelt on his knee andasked his lady love, Will you marry me? She wiped a tear, said yes, and they were

engaged. They agreed that when he got back in one year, they would get married.But tragedy struck. A few days after he left, the girl had a major vehicular accident. It

was a head-on collision.


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When she woke up in the hospital, she saw her father and mother crying. Immediately,she knew there was something wrong.

She later found out that she suffered brain injury. The part of her brain that controlledher face muscles was damaged. Her once lovely face was now disfigured. She cried asshe saw herself in the mirror. Yesterday, I was beautiful. Today, Im a monster. Herbody was also covered with so many ugly wounds.

Right there and then, she decided to release her fianc from their promise. She knew he wouldnt want her anymore. She would forget about him and never see him again.

For one year, the soldier wrote many letters but she wouldnt answer. He phoned hermany times but she wouldnt return her calls.

But after one year, the mother walked into her room and announced, Hes back fromthe war.

The girl shouted, No! Please dont tell him about me. Dont tell him Im here!

The mother said, Hes getting married, and handed her a wedding invitation.

The girls heart sank. She knew she still loved him but she had to forget him now.


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With great sadness, she opened the wedding invitation.

And then she saw her name on it!

Confused, she asked, What is this?

That was when the young man entered her room with a bouquet of flowers. He knelt beside he r and asked, Will you marry me?

The girl covered her face with her hands and said, Im ugly!

The man said, Without your permission, your mother sent me your photos. When Isaw your photos, I realized that nothing has changed. Youre still the person I fell inlove. Youre still as beautiful as ever. Because I love you!

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in

battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldierasked his lieutenant if he might go out into the no mans land between the trenches tobring his fallen comrade back.


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You can go, said the lieutenant, but i dont think it will be worth it. Your friend isprobably dead and you may throw your life away. The lieutenants advice didnt matter,and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him

onto his shoulder and bring him back to their companys trench. As the two of themtumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the woundedsoldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

I told you it wouldnt be worth it, he said. Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.

It was worth it, though, sir, said the soldier. What do you mean; worth it? responded the Lieutenant. Your friend is dead.

Yes, Sir the private answered. But it was worth it because when I got to him, he wasstill alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying, Jim, I knew youd come.

Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u looks at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life. May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS. A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest


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of the world walks out. War doesnt determine whos right. War only determines whos left.

Hi! How are you? The woman smiled as she took the seat beside me. She had to lowerherself slowly, squeezing her ample bottom into the seat, filling all available space.

Positioning herself comfortably, she plopped her enormous arm on our commonarmrest. Her immensity saturated the space around us, shrinking me and my seat into

insignificance.I cringed and reclined towards the window.

She leaned towards me and repeated her greeting in an upbeat, friendly voice. Her facetowered above my head, forcing me to turn to look at her. Hi, I replied with obviousloathing.

I turned away to stare out the cabin window, sulking silently about the long hours of discomfort I was going to experience with this monster beside me.


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She nudged me with her meaty arm. My name is Laura. Im from Britain. How about you? Japan?

Malaysia, Ibarked.Im so sorry! Will you accept my heartfelt apology? Come, shake my hand. If weregoing to spend six hours side-by- side on this flight, wed better be friends, dont youthink? A palm waved in front of my face. I shook the hand reluctantly, still silent.

Laura started a conversation with me, taking no notice of my unfriendly reactions. Shetalked excitedly about herself and her trip to Hong Kong to see her frinds. She rattledoff a list of things she was going to buy for her students in the boarding school where she

was teaching.

I gave her one-word answers to her questions about me. Unperturbed by my coldness,she nodded as she made appreciative comments to my answers. Her voice was warmand caring. She was considerate and obliging when we were served drinks and meals,making sure that I had room to manoeuvre in my seat. I dont want to clobber you withmy elephant size! she said with utmost sincerity.


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To my surprise, her face which repulsed me hours before, now opened intoextraordinary smiles, lively and calm at the same time. I couldnt help but let down my guard slowly.

Laura was an interesting conversationalist. She was well read in many subjects fromphilosophy to science. She turned a seemingly unimportant subject into something toexplore and understand. Her comments were humorous and inspirational. When ourtopic turned to cultures, I was pleasantly surprised by her intelligent comments and well-thought-out analysis.

During our conversation, Laura managed to make every cabin crew who served us walk away laughing at her jokes.

When a flight attendant was clearing our plates, Laura cracked several jokes about hersize. The flight attendant roared with laughter as she grabbed Lauras hand, You really make my day!

For the next few minutes, Laura listened attentively and gave pointers to the flight attendants weight problem. The grateful attendant said before she rushed off, Ive got to work. Ill come back later and talk to you about it.


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I asked Laura, Have you ever thought about losing some weight?

No. Ive worked hard to get this way. Why would I want to give it up?

You arent worried about cardiovascular diseases that come with being overweight?

Not at all. You only get the diseases if youre worried about your weight all the time . You see advertisements from slimming centres that say, Liberate yourself from yourextra baggage so that you are free to be yourself. Its rubbish! Youre liberated only if

youre comfortable about who you are, and what you look like any time of the da y andanytime of the year! Why would I want to waste my time on slimming regimes when Ihave so many other important things to do and so many people to be friends with? I eat healthily and walk regularly; Im this size because I am born to be big! There is more tolife than worrying about weight all day long.

She sipped at her wine. Besides, God gives me so much happiness that I need a biggerbody to hold all of it! Why would I lose weight to lose my happiness? Taken aback by her reasoning, I chuckled.

Laura continued. Folks often see me as a fat lady with big bosoms, big thighs and a big bottom that no man would even bother to cast a glance at. They see me as a slob. They


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think Im lazy and have no willpower. Theyre wrong. She held up her glass to a p assing flight attendant. More of this magnificent wine, please. She smiled sweetly at theattendant. Great service from your crew. May God bless all of you.

She turned to me, Im actually a slim person inside. Im so full of energy that people wont be able to keep up with me. This extra flesh is here to slow me down, otherwiseIll be running everywhere chasing after men!

Do men chase after you? I asked jokingly.

Of course they do. Im happily married but men still keep proposing to me.

Most of t hem have relationship problems and they need someone to confide in. Forsome reason, they like to talk to me. I think I should have been a counsellor instead of a school teacher!

Laura paused before she said thoughtfully, You know, the relationship betwe en menand women is so complicated. Women worship men and call them, Honey until they find out they have been lied to, and then they turn into bitter gourds! Men love womenso much that they see them as their soul mates until they look at their credit card bills,and then women become devils with tridents!


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Lauras enthralling conversation had turned the flight into something thoroughly enjoyable. I was also fascinated by the way people were drawn to her. By the end of theflight, almost half the cabin crew was standing near the aisle by us, laughing and joking

with Laura. The passengers around us joined in the merry-making too. Laura was thecentre of attention, filling the cabin with delightful warmth.

When we waved goodbye to each other at the arrival l ounge at Hong Kongs Kai Tak Airport, I watched her walking towards a big group of adoring adults and kids. Cheerssounded as the group hugged and kissed Laura. She turned around and winked at me.

I was stunned, as the realisation set in: Laura was the most beautiful woman I had evermet in my life.

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and alwayshad something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he

would reply, If I were any better, I would be twins!

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him aroundfrom restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his


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life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you arenever supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his

hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panickedand shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released fromthe hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six monthsafter the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, If I were any better, Idbe twins. Wanna see my scars?

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as therobbery took place. The firs t thing that went through my mind was that I should havelocked the back door, Jerry replied. Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that Ihad two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.

Werent you scared? Did you lose consciousness? I asked. Jerry continued, Theparamedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they

wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of thedoctors and nurses, I got really scare d. In their eyes, I read, Hes a dead man. I knew Ineeded to take action.


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What did you do? I asked.

Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me, said Jerry. She asked if I was allergic to anything. Yes, I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working asthey waited for my reply I took a deep breath and yelled, Bullets! Over their laughter,I told them, I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. Ilearned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, iseverything.

Wonder if any of you ever had the feeling that life is bad, real bad,and you wish you were in another situation. Do you find that life seems to make things difficult for you, work sucks, life sucks, everything seems to go wrong.

It was not until yesterday that I totally changed my views about life; after a conversation with one of my friends. He told me despite taking 2 jobs, and bringing back barely above 1K per month, he is happy as he is. I wonder how he can be as happy as he is


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now, considering that he has to skimp his life with the low pay to support a pair of old-age parents, in-laws, wife, 2 daughters and the many bills of a household.

He explained that it was through one incident that he saw in India

That happened a few years ago when he was really feeling low and was touring India after a major setback. He said that right in front of his very eyes, he saw an Indianmother chopped off her childs right hand with a chopper. The helplessness in themothers eyes, the scream of the pain from the innocent 4 years old child haunted himuntil today. You may ask why did the mother do so, has the child been naughty, was the

childs hand infected?? No, it was done for two simple words to beg. The desperate mother deliberately caused the child to be handicapped so that the child can go out to the streets to beg. Icannot accept how this could happen, but it really did, just in another part of the world

which I dont see.

Taken aback by the scene, he dropped a small piece of bread he was eating half-way. And almost instantly, flock of 5 or 6 children swamp towards this small piece of bread which was then covered with sand, robbing of bits from one another. The naturalreaction of hunger. Striken by the happenings, he instructed his guide to drive him to


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the nearest bakery. He arrived at two bakeries and bought every single loaf of bread hefound in the bakeries.

The owner is dumbfolded , but willing sold everything. He spent less than $100 toobtain about 400 loaf of bread (this is less than $0.25/per loaf) and spend another $100to get daily necessities. Off he went in the truck full of bread into the streets. As hedistributed the bread and necessities to the children (mostly handicapped) and a few adults, he received cheers and bows from these unfortunate. For the first time in life he

wonder how people can give up their dignity for a loaf of bread which cost less than$0.25. He began to ask himself how fortunate he is as a Singaporean. How fortunate he

to be able to have a complete body, have a job, have a family, have the chance tocomplain what food is nice what isnt, have the chance to be clothed, have the many things that these people in front of him are deprived of..

Now I begin to think and feel it, too. Was my life really that bad?

Perhaps.no, it should not be bad at all.

What about you? Maybe the next time you think you are, think about the child who lost one hand to beg on the streets.


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You probably remember me from the other day. I was the one who reacted very

slowly to the green traffic light. When you honked your horn, I realized I washolding up traffic, so please accept my apology.

However, I do want you to know why I seemed in a daze. You see, I was just at thedoctors office getting the results of the biopsy I had two weeks ago, and I was

wondering how I would tell my husband and children that I have cancer. My eyes were still stinging from crying, so, quite simply I didnt even see the light change.Perhaps I should not have been driving, but I didnt want to miss my appointment and there was no one else to take me.

And you over there, yes you. I was the one in the express lane at the supermarket. Iknow you are only supposed to take 12 items or less and I had a basket full. Pleaseaccept my apology.

My mind was on my youngest daughter who ran away from home, and shes just sixteen. I was so distraught then. You see, she somehow got in with the wrong


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crowd and started using drugs and drinking. I was remembering what a pretty littlegirl she had been most of her life. I know you were perturbed along with others inline. Please, accept my apology.

I remember you from the department store last week. I was so mean to you, when you were doing your job to the best of your ability. I acted so childishly. Pleaseaccept my apology.

You see, I arrived home from work just yesterday and discovered that my wife hadleft me. But I should never have taken it out on you. Please, accept my apology.

The above are fictitious incidents, and yet they express a very real truth.

The old saying about judging others before you have walked a mile in their shoes, is a much needed reminder.

Perhaps we all could try to be more cognizant of the fact that there are problems andsituations in the lives of others of which we are totally unaware. So, maybe before we get frustrated in similar circumstances, and find we are momentarily inconvenienced or


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suffering through a pointless tirade, we should think a moment and understand that things may be going on in others lives which have caused them to be slower,absentminded or angry.

Patience, as they say, is a virtue.

Consumed by my loss, I didnt notice the hardness of the pew where I sat. I was at thefuneral of my dearest friend my mother. She finally had lost her long battle with

cancer. The hurt was so intense, I found it hard to breathe at times. Always supportive, mother clapped loudest at my school plays, held a box of tissues while listening to my first heartbreak, comforted me at my fathers death, encouragedme in college, and prayed for me my entire life.

When mothers illness was diagnosed, my sister had a new baby and m y brother hadrecently married his childhood sweetheart, so it fell on me, the 27-year-old middle child

without entanglements, to take care of her. I counted it an honor. What now, Lord? Iasked sitting in church. My life stretched out before meas an empty abyss. My brothersat stoically with his face toward the cross while clutching his wifes hand.


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My sister sat slumped against her husbands shoulder, his arms around her as shecradled their child. All so deeply grieving, no one noticed I sat alone. My place hadbeen with our mother, preparing her meals, helping her walk, taking her to the doctor,

seeing to her medication, reading the Bible together. Now she was with the Lord. My work was finished and I was alone.

I heard a door open and slam shut at the back of the church. Quick footsteps hurriedalong the carpeted floor. An exasperated young man looked around briefly and then sat next to me. He folded his hands and placed them on his lap. His eyes were brimming

with tears.

He began to sniffle. Im late, he explained, though no explanation was necessary. Afterseveral eulogies, he leaned over and commented, Why do they keep calling Mary by the name of Margaret?

Oh Because that was her name, Margaret. Never Mary. No one called her Mary, I whispered. I wondered why this person couldnt have sat on the other side of the

church. He interrupted my grieving with his tears and fidgeting. Who was this strangeranyway?


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No, that isnt correct, he insisted, as several people glanced over at us whispering ,Her name is Mary, Mary Peters.

That isnt who this is, I replied..

Isnt this the Lutheran church?

No, the Lutheran church is across the street.

Oh.

I believe youre at the wrong funeral, Sir.

The solemnness of the occasion mixed with the rea lization of the mans mistakebubbled up inside me and came out as laughter.

I cupped my hands over my face, hoping it would be interpreted as sobs.

The creaking pew gave me away. Sharp looks from other mourners only made the

situation seem more hilarious. I peeked at the bewildered, misguided man seated besideme.He was laughing, too, as he glanced around, deciding it was too late for anuneventful exit.


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I imagined mother laughing.

At the final Amen, we darted out a door and into the parking lot. I do believe wellbe the talk of the town, he smiled. He said his name was Rick and since he had missedhis aunts funeral, asked me out for a cup of coffee.

That afternoon began a lifelong journey for me with this man who attended the wrong funeral, but was in the right place.

A year after our meeting, we were married at a country church where he was theassistant pastor. This time we both arrived at the same church, right on time. In my timeof sorrow, God gave me laughter. In place of loneliness, God gave me love. This past

June we celebrated our twenty-second wedding anniversary. Whenever anyone asks ushow we met, Rick tells them, Her mother and my Aunt Mary introduced us, and itstruly a match made in heaven.


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This is a real life story of engineer John Roebling building the Brooklyn Bridge in New

York, USA back in 1870. The bridge was completed in 1883, after 13 years.

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a

spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been donebefore.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to sharethe dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed toconvince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact couldbe built.


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Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they

hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk.

We told them so. Crazy men and their crazy dreams. Its foolish to chase wild

visions. Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrappedsince the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.

In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspireand pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by thetask.


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As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see thesky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. Allhe could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wifes arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to callthe engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the

engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wifes arm,until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands inall its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one mans indomitable spirit and hisdetermination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineersand their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the

world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.


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Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small incomparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, nomatter what the odds are .

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotelcoffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. How muchis an ice cream sundae? he asked. 50, replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream? he inquire d. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. 35! she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. Ill have the plain ice cream, he said. The

waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.


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When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There,placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, hecouldnt have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girlnamed Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who hadmiraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed tocombat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and askedthe little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate foronly a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, Yes, Ill do it if it will save her.

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, Will I start to die right away?.

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going tohave to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.


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Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and

three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improvehimself so that he could one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Fatherhardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he

wanted to provide his family with the best money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, hereasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time

with his family.The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed,and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor

which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with lifes little

luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to

work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make


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himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in theopen university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time withthem, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spendmore time with his family.

Fathers hard work pai d off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he decided to hire a maidto relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was nolonger big enough, it would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities andcomfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again.The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients. Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

As expected, Fathers hard work paid off ag ain and he bought a beautiful condominiumoverlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home,


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Father declared to his family that he decided not to take anymore courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family.

Father did not wake up the next day.

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner anda movie. She said, I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love tospend some time with you.

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out fordinner and a movie. Whats wrong, are you well? she asked.

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surpriseinvitation is a sign of bad news. I thought that it would be pleasant to spend s ome time

with you, I responded. Just the two of us. She thought about it for a moment, andthen said, I would like that very much. That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed


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to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curledher hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angels. I told my friends

that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, she said, as she got into the car. They cant wait to hear about our meeting.

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mothertook my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu.Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes andsaw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. It was I who

used to have to read the menu when you were small, she said. Then its time that yourelax and let me return the favor, I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeableconversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each ot herslife. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, shesaid, Ill go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you. I agreed.

How was your dinner date? asked my wife when I got home. Very nice. Much more

so than I could have imagined, I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didnt have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from


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the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: I paid this bill inadvance. I wasnt sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates onefor you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I

love you, son. At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: I LOVE YOU and togive our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than

your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off tillsome other time.

My name is Don Heding and I live in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, U.S.A. I am 63 years of age and married quite late in life for the 2nd time as my first wife died of cervical cancer.My wife, Saowanee, is a Thai Buddhist and we have two sons, Patrick and Andrew, agedseven and six respectively. I also have a son from my first marriage, Brett, who is now 29

years of age.

In the latter part of 1996, I was experiencing some difficulty in eating, that is, I wasexperiencing severe indigestion. Naturally, I went to my physician and, after anexamination, (I) was told that I had a hyatal hernia and was treated for such. I then made


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a trip to South-east Asia as was my custom after Chinese New Year in 1997. I noticed I was still not feeling up to par and my appetite was not what it used to be. Upon my return, I again went to see my physician and a series of tests were prescribed to see what

else could be causing my problem. After a CAT scan and a procedure where a tiny camera is put down your (my) throat and to your (my) stomach, the following becameevident:(a) I had an abdominal aorta annurism. My aorta was supposed to be approximately 2cm in diameter and mine was 8 cm.(b) There were cancer cells between my esophagus and stomach. Not very good news tosay the least. An oncologist was recommended to me and upon seeing him, (I) was told Ihad two alternatives: Do nothing and die in four to six months or take radiation andchemotherapy and finally have an esophagectomy (removal of your esophagus andputting your stomach higher in your chest area).Because of my wife and three sons, I chose the latter.

In June of 1997, I underwent the operation for the annurism and, in August, I startedthe radiation and chemo treatments which lasted for seven weeks. On October 4th, Iunderwent the operation to remove my esophagus. Incidentally, the doctor told methere was only a 50 percent chance that all of this would be successful. Now, fromOctober 3rd to Mar28th, (1998), I did not take any nourishment by mouth. I was fed


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through a tube in my side and, during this period, my weight went from 178lbs down to115lbs.

I should relate to you at this time, that I was baptized a Roman Catholic but through the years drifted away from my faith and, most importantly, my Lord and Savior, JesusChrist.

On March the 5th, 1998, a Catholic man, (whom) I had met through another friend of mine in Singapore, telephoned me to inquire about my health. I told him I was dying of esophageal cancer and, due to my drastic weight loss, my oncologist and also my family physicians told me that there was nothing more that they could do as I could not eat any solid food. At this time, all medical treatment had stopped including marijuana tabletsthat were supposed to give me an appetite. If I took any solid food, it would be only a matter of minutes and I would vomit. I was literally starving to death and was preparing myself if not welcoming the thought of death.

He consoled me and prayed with me during our phone conversation and assured me

that Dr. Jesus Christ, Lord, Savior & Messiah, would answer my prayers and that he would intercede for me and get as many Christians as he could to pray for me. Ourconversation lasted approx. hour and, later that same evening, he faxed me 13 pages


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of stories of miracles extracted from And then they were healed a book by Fr. CorsieS. Legaspi, and an article by Ms Irene Teo, a Singaporean, who was healed of advancedcolon cancer, and of his own major healings of poliomyelitis and prostate cancer.

Between Mar 5 and Mar 28th, 1998, this man phoned me 4 times and faxed messagesto me 5 times. On March 26th, he faxed (and) phoned me urging me to have full trust inthe divine healer, My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Since my own doctors had given upon me, and discontinued any more treatment or medication, I had to clutch to the

words of the Lord in the Bible. My friend assured me that Gods word was morepowerful and potent than any chemotherapy or radiation treatment or medication. For a

period of three weeks, his prayer group participated in daily Masses, fasting, two long retreats and charismatic prayer meetings. Many (of his) church members had prayed forme incessantly since Mar 5th. I had difficulty in reading the Bible but I urgently realizedI needed the healing Words of God but persevered and literally and physically clutchedto His Words as my life.

On Saturday, March 28th, 1998 (simultaneously a 4-hour healing Charismatic Mass was

said between 8p.m. and 10p.m. at the St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre in Singapore), I was awakened by a now very strange sensation. I was hungry! In fact, I was so hungry Ifelt I was starving! I also had no more pain. Immediately, I prayed to Dr. Jesus Christ


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and thanked him for rescuing me at the imminent hour of death. As if I had lost 5 morelbs, I am sure I would not have survived. My first meal of solid food was indeed a very strange one. I had the most awful craving to eat raw beef which is the custom in my part

of the U.S.A. During the Christmas holidays I personally never enjoyed this tradition.However, my stomach was telling me something else. So off to the grocery store, my wife went and bought some ground round of beef, raw onions, rye bread and stomestinky brick cheese made only here in Wisconsin (and some mustard!). I relished my first meal of solid food in 6 months and thought for sure I would be as sick as a dog aftereating this hard to digest meal. However, I had no problem and have been eating almost normally since this time. I cannot eat as much as I used to as my stomach is muchsmaller but I can eat more often. Praise be the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, My Lord,Master, Savior, Spiritual and Physical Physician.

My cancer recovery was dramatic as shown by my weight loss records:178 lbs before esophageal cancer (in) 1997114/5 lbs on March 27th 1998 one year earlier 178lbs120 lbs on Apr 4, 1998128 lbs on Apr 14, 1998152 lbs Present weight Nov 22, 1998


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In mid-April, my oncologist confirmed that there was no trace of cancer but was at a lossto explain my miraculous recovery and appetite. I promptly informed him that I had a second opinion from another doctor, Dr. Jesus Christ He just shrugged his shoulders.

My wife and children are now convinced that Jesus is indeed ominpotent and alive andare now embracing the Catholic faith.

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know it is very difficult for me to writethis testimonial as I become very emotional. It is not unusual to be at Mass and break into tears thinking about my past experience and watching my family in prayer. I canonly tell you this that if you have faith and completely put your life in the hands of JesusChrist you will not nothing to worry about or fear. God is indeed great all of the timeand the word impossible is not in his vocabulary as he can accomplish anything at any time He wishes.

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking hisbeedi. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman repliedthat he had caught enough fishes for the day.


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Hearing this the rich man got angry and said: Why dont you catch more fi shes insteadof sitting in shadow wasting your time?Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fishes?

Businessman: You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earneven more money.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you andearn even more money.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully.Fisherman: What do you think Im doing right now?

MORAL You dont need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. Youdont even need to be more rich, more powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment,enjoy it fully.


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As some great men have said My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but inthe fewness of my wants.

A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the Doctor walked intothe small hospital room of Diana Blessing. Still groggy from surgery, her husband Davidheld her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March10,1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24 weeks pregnant, to Danae LuBlessing.

At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound and nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctors soft words dropped like bombs. I don t think shes going to make it, he said, as kindly as he could. Theres only a 10 percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she doesmake it, her future could be a very cruel one. Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Danae would likely face if she

survived. She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, andshe would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy tocomplete mental retardation, and on and on. No! No! was all Diana could say. She


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and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they wouldhave a daughter to become a family of four. Now, within a matter of hours, that dream

was slipping away.

Through the dark hours of morning as Danae held onto life by the thinnest thread,Diana slipped in and out of sleep, growing more and more determined that their tiny daughter would live, and live to be a healthy, happy young girl. But David, fully awakeand listening to additional dire details of their daughters chances of ever leaving thehospital alive, much less healthy, knew he must confront his wife with the inevitable.David walked in and said that we needed to talk about making funeral arrangements.

Diana remembers, I felt so bad for him because he was doing everything, trying toinclude me in what was going on, but I just wouldnt listen, I couldnt listen. I said, No,that is not going to happen, no way! I dont care w hat the doctors say; Danae is not going to die! One day she will be just fine, and she will be coming home with us!

As if willed to live by Dianas determination, Danae clung to life hour after hour, withthe help of every medical machine and marvel her miniature body could endure. But as

those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Danaes under -developed nervous system was essentially raw, the lightest kiss or caress only intensifiedher discomfort, so they couldnt even cradl e their tiny baby girl against their chests to


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offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Danae struggled alone beneath theultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close totheir precious little girl. There was never a moment when Danae suddenly grew

stronger.But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there. At last, when Danae turned two months old, her parents were able tohold her in their arms for the very first time. And two months later-though doctorscontinued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero. Danae went home from the hospital, just as her

mother had predicted.Today, five years later, Danae is a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes andan unquenchable zest for life. She shows no signs, what so ever, of any mental orphysical impairment. Simply, she is everything a little girl can be and more-but that happy ending is far from the end of her story.

One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Danae was sitting in her mothers lap in the bleachers of a local ballpark where her brotherDustins baseball team was pr acticing. As always, Danae was chattering non-stop with her


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mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging herarms across her chest, Danae asked, Do you smell that? Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, Yes, it smells like rain. Danae closed

her eyes and again asked, Do you smell that? Once again, her mother replied, Yes, Ithink were about to get wet, it smells like rain. Still caught in the moment, Danae shook her head , patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest. Tearsblurred Dianas eyes as Danae then happily hopped down to play with the otherchildren.

Before th e rains came, her daughters words confirmed what Diana and all the membersof the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along. During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were toosensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Danae on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.

Documents

Collection of Heart Touching Stories