The Best Cure

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" border="0"/></a>  </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="649cf093.jpg"> <div> <B> <a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/ke104biroiq59A9CAF65769EECBA" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.goodsamclub.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"> <img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/e0111qmqeki3787A8D43547CCA98" alt="Join the Good Sam CLub - Click Here!" border="0"/></a>  </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#006699" FACE="Arial" ><I> </I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> The Best Cure</div> <bR> <div> My husband and I chose to join others serving at a local</div> <div> soup kitchen sometime back. It was a holiday and we</div> <div> were feeling a bit dejected. We decided giving to others</div> <div> might be the best cure in healing what ailed us.</div> <bR> <div> I took my place in line with other volunteers. Most were</div> <div> seasoned, dedicated servants. I had my instructions,</div> <div> "Make everyone feel welcome." I sat on my three wheel</div> <div> motorized scooter at the beginning of the line. I was to</div> <div> keep the plates and silverware replenished and pass</div> <div> out special treats for the occasion. </div> <bR> <div> We were fairly new in town, only had made a few</div> <div> acquaintances. Two of our grown children and their</div> <div> families had preceded us to this large Metropolitan City</div> <div> by a few years, but they had their own friends. We were</div> <div> feeling a bit lonely, so far away from the home we had</div> <div> known for most of our lives. We had left other children</div> <div> and grandchildren, parents and friends behind. I was</div> <div> feeling a bit needy myself. Sometimes more than our</div> <div> stomachs need nourishment.</div> <bR> <div> The food smelled pretty good and everyone was preparing</div> <div> for the line that was expected. The volunteers had all</div> <div> introduced themselves and I was ready to do my small</div> <div> part to greet and to serve.</div> <bR> <div> First one and then another filed through the line. A tall,</div> <div> light headed, nice looking young man, a little bedraggled,</div> <div> found his way as I greeted him. A middle age man with</div> <div> his wife and children in tow seemed a little down on their</div> <div> luck. A woman with her homeless partner, more than a</div> <div> little unkempt, filled their plates and found a place at one</div> <div> of the tables set festively for the holiday meal. Some</div> <div> seemed embarrassed, some eager, some reluctant;</div> <div> all seemed thankful.</div> <bR> <div> Then he stepped up to the line. There I was on my</div> <div> three-wheel scooter and him with an outstretched hand.</div> <div> He stopped to chat, talking to me about my predicament</div> <div> and the scooter I sat on. As he began to talk I recognized</div> <div> him. "Yes, I know you, I said" I was as much surprised</div> <div> as was he. I hadn't expected to see anyone that I knew</div> <div> at this place for the needy. But I remembered him; I had</div> <div> seen him one day down at the mall. I was on my scooter,</div> <div> he was walking and stopped to chat; he asked about my</div> <div> problems and my motorized scooter. He was clean, nice</div> <div> and polite; I didn't know he was without. He didn't</div> <div> remember me and was surprised and pleased that</div> <div> I recalled having met him. I don't usually recall meeting</div> <div> strangers in such brief encounters, but he, I remembered.</div> <div> He tarried, hanging on to my every word. He was eager</div> <div> for conversation and pleased that of all the people who</div> <div> had come, someone actually remembered him. His smile</div> <div> of appreciation beamed from his face and swirled through</div> <div> the space between us landing comfortingly in the pit of my soul.</div> <bR> <div> He finally ventured on through the line and partook of his</div> <div> meal. Often though, I caught a glimpse of him as he looked</div> <div> over at me, smiling that smile that continued to make me</div> <div> thankful that I had come. I could sense from the look in</div> <div> his eyes how grateful he was that I knew him. My heart</div> <div> went out to him.</div> <bR> <div> The man, after eating his meal, wondered over again to my</div> <div> side and continued to share with me his words and his smile.</div> <div> He relayed how he had visited an elderly lady doing some</div> <div> odd jobs for her and how he had refused her money when</div> <div> she offered to pay. She only needed someone to talk to he</div> <div> commented, she was lonely. He was genuinely interested</div> <div> in my disabilities; it was clear as he spoke. I sensed his</div> <div> caring heart and sincere interest in those outside of himself.</div> <bR> <div> He may have come to partake of a meal and fill up his</div> <div> stomach, but he gave much more that day than he ate.</div> <div> I thought I had come to feed the needy, but it was he</div> <div> who nurtured my spirit and fed me. A Homeless man</div> <div> truly taught me, in giving to others; we best cure whatever</div> <div> it is that ails us.</div> <bR> <div> Betty King</div> <div> <U>www.betty.newsmoose.com</U></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A HREF="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/rhenion" target="new"><img src="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/html/buttons/468coffee.gif" border=0></A>  </B></div> <div> <I>  <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript">var site="s14rhenion"</script> <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript1.2" src="http://s14.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=s14rhenion"> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://s14.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=s14rhenion" target="_top"> <img src="http://s14.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=s14rhenion" alt="Site Meter" border=0></a> </noscript>    </I></div> </td> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="acres_of_diamonds.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Acres of Diamonds"><U>Acres of Diamonds</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id297.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Tale of Two Friends"><U>A Tale of Two Friends</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id298.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Daddys Day"><U>Daddy's Day</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id301.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Friday Story"><U>Friday Story</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id302.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Sand Box"><U>The Sand Box</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id303.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Friday Story"><U>Friday Story</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7/26/02"><U>7/26/02</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Birth of a Dream"><U>The Birth of a Dream</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Comfort Zone"><U>The Comfort Zone</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Santa Grandma"><U>Santa Grandma</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Goals"><U>Goals</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="never_quit.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Never Quit"><U>Never Quit</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Courage Or Conformity"><U>Courage Or Conformity</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great Expectations"><U>Great Expectations</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="friday_story137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sighs of the Heart"><U>Sighs of the Heart</U></A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c866000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Best Cure</B></div> <div> <A HREF="the_other_woman.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Other Woman"><U>The Other Woman</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="a_real_daddy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Real Daddy"><U>A Real Daddy</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="celebration_of_life.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Celebration of Life"><U>Celebration of Life</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wrongfigures.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Wrong Figures"><U>The Wrong Figures</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wishenough.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="I Wish You Enough"><U>I Wish You Enough</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>