To: Tri Bui who wrote (30088 ) 10/26/1998 7:53:00 AM From: William Brotherson Respond to of 50264
Good Morning All, Last Thursday, my sister-in-law came from Colorado with her new beau for a visit, with there 2 large husky dogs. The very next day my Mother, Father, and Grandmother show up from Southern Utah. Needless to say, a very stressful weekend. I picked todays story because of an incident last night involving my youngest son. He was making a friendship bracelet for his Aunt who was trying to leave. My wife got a little short with him for the time it was taking and he sat there crying while trying to finish. He is going to get an extra hug before leaving to school this morning, and I have printed this story for my wife to read. Everyone have a great day today!!!! Tommy's Essay Soon Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a conference on his failing schoolwork and disruptive behavior. Neither parent knew that I had summoned the other. Tommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative, and an excellent student. How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a brokenhearted child's reaction to his adored parents' separation and pending divorce? Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs I had placed near my desk. Then the father arrived. They pointedly ignored each other. As I gave a detailed account of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his smudged, carelessly done papers. I found a crumpled, tear-stained sheet stuffed in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides, a single sentence scribbled over and over. Silently I smoothed it out and gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then without a word handed it to her husband. He frowned. Then his face softened. He studied the scrawled words for what seemed an eternity. At last he folded the paper carefully and reached for his wife's outstretched hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. My own eyes were brimming, but neither seemed to notice. In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the anguished outpouring of a small boy's troubled heart. "Dear Mother . . . Dear Daddy . . . I love you . . . I love you . . . I love you." By Jane Lindstorm wb