| Your "close but no cigar" reminds me of my Dad's Scores!!! He went beyond the "close," not that you didn't give it your best shot!! My Dad just always seemed to pick those that he knew beyond a doubt had no place to hang their hat and have a warm meal on Christmas, or any given holiday for that matter. Some people bring in stray animals, my Dad brought home the strays of the human race. Dad spent a good bit of time at the local pub. Due to his illness and not being able to work, I think he longed for the fellowship of peers. He was a very people oriented type. At the pub, he knew who the lonely people were. Our house on the holiday was their respite. We always counted on addition guests that my Dad would invite home. Most often, Dad would have to drive to where ever and pick up "our dinner guest" as most generally, they had no transportation. As a child I remember having to search for a penny or two that might have gotten misplaced, in order for our family to afford a gallon of Milk. Yet when Dad reached out to the needy, one thing became abundantly clear to us, though we did not have the newest or fanciest car on the block, more likely we had one of oldest cars on the block, but we had an abundant life. Our life was abundantly filled by the love and commitment that my parents had first and foremost for each other. That love cannot sit stagnate, it surely overflowed to us children and those who's life my parents came in contact with. |
