> >
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a > > contest he was
asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was > > to > > find the most
caring child.

> > The winner was a four year old child whose next > > door neighbor was an
elderly gentleman who had recently lost > > his wife. Upon > > seeing the
man cry, the little boy went into the old > > gentleman,s yard, > > climbed
onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother > > asked him what he > >
had said to > > the neighbor, the little boy said, &Nothing, I just helped >
> him cry.8
> > _________________________
> > Teacher Debbie Moon,s first graders were > > discussing a picture of a
family. > > One little boy in the picture had a different > > color hair
than the other family members. One child suggested > > that he was > >
adopted and a > > little girl said, &I know all about adoptions because I >
> was adopted.8 &What does it mean to be adopted?8 asked another > > child.
&It > > means,8 said the girl, &that you > > grew in your mommy,s heart
instead of her > > tummy.8
> > ________________________
> > A four year old was at the pediatrician for a > > check up. As the
doctor looked down her ears with an otoscope, > > he asked, &Do> > > > you
think I,ll find Big Bird in here?8 The little girl stayed > > silent. Next,
> > the doctor took a tongue > > depressor and looked down her throat. He
asked, &Do you think > > I,ll find the Cookie Monster down there?8 Again,
the little > > girl was silent. > > Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her
chest. As he > > listened to her heart beat, he asked, &Do you think I,ll
hear > > Barney in > > there?8 &Oh, no!8 the little girl replied. &Jesus is
in my > > heart. Barney,s > > on my underpants.8
> > _____________________
> > As I was driving home from work one day, I > > stopped to watch a local
Little League baseball game that was > > being played > > in a park near my
home. > > As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, > > I asked
one of the boys wha the score was. We,re behind 14 to > > nothing,8 he > >
answered with a smile. > > &Really,8 I said. &I have to say you don,t look
very > > discouraged.> >
> > &Discouraged?8 the boy asked with a puzzled > > look on his face. 8Why
should we be discouraged? We haven,t > > been up to bat > > yet.8
> > ______________________
> > Whenever I,m disappointed with my spot in > > life, I stop and think
about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was > > trying out for a > > part in a
school play. > > His mother told me that he,d set his heart on > > being in
it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the > > day the parts > >
were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. > > Jamie rushed
up > > to her, eyes shining with pride > > and excitement. &Guess what Mom,8
he shouted, > > and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: >
> &I,ve been chosen> > > > to clap and cheer.8
> > ______________________
> > A lesson in &heart8 is my little 10 year old daughter, Sarah, > > who
was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a > > brace all the
time. > > She came home one beautiful spring day to tell me she > > had
competed in &field day8 > > That,s where they have lots of races and other >
> competitive events. > > Because of her leg support, my mind raced as I
tried > > to think of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to > >
her about not > > letting this get her down, but before I could get a word
out, > > she said > > &Daddy, I won two of the races!8 I couldn,t believe
it! And > > then Sarah said,> > > > &I > > had an advantage. &Ah. > > I knew
it. I thought she must have been given a head > > start...some kind of
physical advantage. But again, before I > > could say > > anything, she
said, > > &Daddy, I didn,t get a head start... My advantage was I > > had to
try harder!8
> >> > _________________________
> > An Eye Witness Account from New York City, on > > a cold day in
December: A little boy about 10 years old was > > standing > > before a shoe
store on the roadway, barefooted, peering > > through the > > window, and
shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and > > said, &My > > little
fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that > > window?8 &I was > >
asking God to give me a pair of shoes,8 was the boy,s reply. > > The lady
took > > him by the hand and went into the store > > and asked the clerk to
get half a dozen pairs of socks for the > > boy. > > She then asked if he
could give her a basin of water > > and a towel. He quickly brought them to
her. She took the > > little fellow to > > the back part of the store and,
removing her gloves, knelt > > down, washed his > > little feet, and dried
them with a towel. By this time the > > clerk had > > returned with the
socks. > > Placing a pair upon the boy,s feet, she purchased him a pair > >
of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave > > them to him.
> > She patted him on the head and said, &No doubt, my little > > fellow,
you > > feel more comfortable now?8 > > As she turned to go, the astonished
lad caught > > her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in
his > > eyes, > > answered the question with these words: > > &Are you God,s
Wife?8