September 17 2000

F A M I L Y

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh, excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I Wasn't even watching for you. "

We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones; young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.

She walked away, her little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
That night, while I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me, and said,

"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Go to the kitchen and look on the floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself pink, yellow and blue.
She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
And you never saw the tears in her eyes. "

By this time, I felt very small
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by her bed;
"Wake up, little girl, wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked for me?
" She smiled, "I found'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, 'specially the blue."

I said, "Daughter, I'm sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at your tha way."
She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
You know I love you anyway."

I said, "Daughter, I love you too
And I do like the flowers....especially the blue."

------Arthor Unknown