JUDGE ME BY THE FOOTPRINTS I LEAVE BEHIND

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home afterhaving fought in Vietnam.He called his parents from San Francisco.
"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've got a favor to ask.I have a friend I'd like to bring with me.""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 steppedon a land mined and lost an arm and a leg. He hasnowhere 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 justcome 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 theSan Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from abuilding, 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 easyto love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, butwe don't like people who inconvenience us or make us feeluncomfortable. 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 thatwelcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.

Tonight, before you tuck yourself in for the night, saya little prayer that God will give you the strength you need to accept people as they are, and to help us all be more understanding of those who are different from us!!!There's a miracle called -Friendship- that dwells in the heart.You don't know how it happens or when it gets started. But you know the special lift It always brings and you realize that Friendship Is God's most precious gift! Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smileand encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share aword of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.Show your friends how much you care....Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND!If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a friend for life.