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This is a good story, please read it all the way through.

I am a mother of three (ages 14,12, 3) and have

recently completed my college degree. The last class

I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities

that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called "Smile."

The class was asked to go out and smile at three

people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at

everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this

would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband,

youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp

March morning. It was just our way of sharing special

play time with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when

all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away,

and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of

panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why

they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body"

smell, and there standing behind me were two poor

homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to

me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were

full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had

been clutching. The second man fumbled with his

hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized

the second man was mentally deficient and the blue

eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them. The

young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He

said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they

could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant

and warm up, they had to buy something. He just

wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I

almost reached out and embraced the little man with

the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant

were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled

and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more

breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table

that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the

tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed

gentleman's cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said,

"Thank you." I leaned over, began to pat his hand

and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working

through me to give you hope."

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.

When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is

why God gave you me, Honey. To give me hope."

We held hands for a moment and at that time we knew

that only because of the Grace that we had been given

were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we

are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of

God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of

class, with this story in hand. I turned in "my project"

and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said,

"Can I share this?"

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the

class. She began to read and that is when I knew

that we as human beings and being part of God, share this

need to heal people and be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's,

my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that

shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a

college student. I graduated with one of the biggest

lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every

person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE

AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.