Gold wrapping paper

About a week ago, Paige left her handprint on my mirror. As I was cleaning in preparation for our company, I thought nothing of grabbing a window wipe and cleaning up her smudge...until I thought of this e-mail forward I got years ago. And it was then that I decided not to wipe away the smudge. I wanted to document it first to remind me that through all the hardships of parenting, it doesn't take much to lose what we have. Life is short and we should cherish it each chance we get...even when it's most difficult can it be the most rewarding.

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The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her young daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and she had become upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning, happily declaring, "This is for you, Momma."

The mother was immediately embarrassed by her earlier over-reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty.

"Don't you know, young lady," she spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner, "when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?"

"Oh, Momma," the child wailed, tears filling her eyes, "it's not empty! Before I wrapped it up I blew kisses into it until it was full."

The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, begging her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.

An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bedside throughout all the remaining years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems, she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.