THROUGH A BABY'S EYES

---------------------- Forwarded by Kayne Coulter/HOU/ECT on 12/13/2000 12:11
PM ---------------------------

Gary and Donna Holtz <dgholtz@yahoo.com< on 12/12/2000 05:32:02 PM
To: Karole Svitak <Moparmamamia@aol.com<
cc:
Subject: THROUGH A BABY'S EYES

Some of you may have read this one before, but It
really makes us realize how lucky we all are. God's
blessings to you all during this joyful holiday
season!

The family meal
< <
< < We were the only family with children in the
< restaurant. I sat Erik in a
< < high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating
< and talking. Suddenly,
< < Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi there." He
< pounded his fat baby
< < hands
< < on the high-chair tray. His eyes were wide with
< excitement and his mouth
< < was
< < bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled
< with merriment.
< <
< < I looked around and saw the source of his
< merriment. It was a man with a
< < tattered rag of a coat; dirty, greasy and worn.
< His pants were baggy with
< < a
< < zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of
< would-be shoes. His shirt
< < was
< < dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His
< whiskers were too short
< < to
< < be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it
< looked like a road map.
< < We
< < were too far from him to smell,
< < but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and
< flapped on loose wrists.
< < "Hi
< < there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,"
< the man said to Erik.
< <
< < My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?"
< < Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi
< there."
< < Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at
< us and then at the man.
< < The
< < old geezer was creating a nuisance with my
< beautiful baby. Our meal came
< < and
< < the man began shouting from across the room,
< < "Do ya know pattycake? Do you know peek-a-boo?
< Hey, look, he knows
< < peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute.
< He was obviously drunk.
< < My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in
< silence; all except for Erik
< < who
< < was running through his repertoire for the
< admiring skid row bum, who in
< < turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.
< <
< <
< < We finally got through the meal and headed for the
< door. My husband went
< < to
< < pay the check and told me to meet him in the
< parking lot. The old man sat
< < poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let
< me out of here before he
< < speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer
< to the man, I turned my
< < back trying to side-step him and avoid any air he
< might be breathing. As I
< < did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both
< arms in a baby's
< < "pick-me-up" position.
< <
< <
< < Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled
< himself from my arms to the
< < man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very
< young baby consummated
< < their love relationship. Erik in an act of total
< trust, love, and
< < submission
< < laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder.
< The man's eyes closed,
< < and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His
< aged hands full of grime,
< < pain, and hard labor gently, so gently, cradled my
< baby's bottom and
< < stroked
< < his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply
< for so short a time. I
< < stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled
< Erik in his arms for a
< < moment, and then his eyes opened and set squarely
< on mine.
< < He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care
< of this baby."
< < Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that
< contained a stone.
< < He pried Erik from his chest-unwillingly,
< longingly, as though he were in
< < pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God
< bless you, ma'am, you've
< < given me my Christmas gift. " I said nothing more
< than a muttered thanks.
< < With Erik in my arms,I ran for the car. My
< husband was wondering why I was
< < crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was
< saying, "My God, my God,
< < forgive me."
< <
< <
< < I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through
< the innocence of a tiny
< < child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a
< child who saw a soul, and a
< < mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a
< Christian who was blind, holding
< < a
< < child who was not. I felt it was God asking "Are
< you willing to share your
< < son for a moment?" -- when He shared His for all
< eternity. The ragged old
< < man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the
< Kingdom of God, we must
< < become as little children."
< <
< <
< < If this has blessed you please bless others by
< sending it on!
< <

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