a rich man

[Charlie]

>>I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I
>>noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but
>>clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I
>>paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh
>>green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.
>>Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation
>>between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
>>
>>"Hello Barry, how are you today?"
>>
>>"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas.
>>They sure look good."
>>
>>"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"
>>
>>"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."
>>
>>"Good. Anything I can help you with?"
>>
>>"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."
>>
>>"Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller.
>>
>>"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."
>>
>>"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"
>>
>>"All I got's my prize marble here."
>>
>>"Is that right? Let me see it" said Miller.
>>
>>"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
>>
>>"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I
>>sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the
>>store owner asked.
>>
>>"Not zackley but almost."
>>
>>"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip
>>this way let me look at that red marble" . Mr. Miller told the
>>boy.
>>
>>"Sure will. < B> Thanks Mr. Miller."
>>
>>Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.
>>With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our
>>community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just
>>loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.
>> When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do,
>>he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home
>>with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when
>>they come on their next trip to the store."
>>
>>I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A
>>short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story
>>of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.
>>
>>Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just
>>recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho
>>community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
>>They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends
>>wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the
>>mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased
>>and to offer whatever words of comfort we could
>>
>>Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army
>>uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white
>>shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs.
>>Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.
>>Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke
>>briefly with her and moved on to the casket.
>>
>>Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young
>>man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale
>>hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his
>>eyes.
>>
>>Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and
>>reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she
>>had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her
>>eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.
>>
>>"Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you
>>about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim
>>"traded " them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind
>>about color or size....they came to pay their debt."
>>
>>"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she
>>confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest
>>man in Idaho ."
>>
>>With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her
>>deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely
>>shined red marbles.
>>
>>
>>The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our
>>kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by
>>the moments that take our breath.
>>
>>Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~
>>A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself.
>>An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
>>Green stoplights on your way to work.
>>The fastest line at the grocery store.
>>A good sing-along song on the radio.
>>Your keys found right whe re you left them.
>>
>>Send this to the people you'll never forget. I just Did...
>>
>>If you don't send it to anyone, it means you are in way too much of
>>a hurry to even notice the ordinary miracles when they occur.
>>
>>IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND
>>OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!


i got this from a different forum and i thought i fit in here because of all the nice people here that are willing to help all that come here for help

[Brad]

Charlie,

That is a wonderful story. When I was 5 years old I went off to an 8-week summer camp. Each camper was given a phrase that was theirs for all the years they were at that camp. To this day I remember mine and try to live up to it - "God loveth a cheerful giver."

You are right, this forum is about giving - and sharing - and learning from others.

[Steve M]

Life is what we make of it; how we act and react in each situation. It's better to give than receive. I try to treat people the way I would want to be treated. Thanks for sharing that story, Charlie. I find it encouraging to see the positive words being shared which is so unlike most of what's out there these days. The MWO forums community has followed in the footsteps of the organization. A positive, friendly, giving, and growing organization that is fun and exciting to be a part of!
Hopefully we will get to know each other better and be able to get together from time to time for different events through out the year. Some of the ideas shared lately such as hiking together, meeting for cook outs, and even trail maintainence would be great and should be given more serious consideration.