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 watching for you.'

*

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

*

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 son stood beside me very still.

*

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.

*

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

*

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 family you love, you seem to abuse.

*

Go and look on the kitchen floor,

You'll find some flowers there by the door.

*

Those are the flowers he brought for you.

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

*

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,

you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'

*

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.

*

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.

*

'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'

He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.

*

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'

*

I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'

He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.

I love you anyway.'

*

I said, 'Son, I love you too,

and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

*

FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company

that we are working for could easily replace us in

a matter of days.

But the family we left behind will feel the loss

for the rest of their lives.

*

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more

into work than into our own family,

an unwise investment indeed,

don't you think?

So what is behind the story?

*

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?

FAMILY =

(F)ATHER

(A)ND

(M)OTHER

(I)

(L)OVE

(Y)OU