Parable: Appreciate Love

Once upon a time, a man punished his 5-year-old daughter for wasting expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and so was he. He became ferocious when she pasted it on a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Still, she brought the box to him the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy."

He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction. But his anger flared again when he found the box empty. He screamed at her, "What the hell is this? Don't you know, young lady, that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside the damn' package?"

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. She said, "Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was full."

Later, she was killed in an accident. He kept that gold box by his bed for all the remaining years of his life. And whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems he opened the box. He would take out an imaginary kiss. He could only remember the child who had put it there. Remembering her sweet Love, he would sob late into the night.
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Each of us has been given a "golden box" filled with unconditional Love. It has come from our children, family, friends and God (Love) within.

There is no more precious possession.