Showing You Care

On a bitter cold Virginia night, an old man waited on a path near the river. He was hoping somebody on a horse would come by and carry him across. His beard was glazed with frost and his body was numb before he finally heard horses coming. Anxiously he watched as several horsemen passed without even noticing him.

Finally, when only one rider remained, the old man caught his eye and asked, "Sir, would you mind giving me a ride to the other side?" Graciously, the rider helped him on to his horse and, sensing he was half-frozen, decided to take him all the way home, which was several miles out of his way. As they rode, the horseman asked, "Why didn't you ask one of the others to help you? I was the last one; what if I'd refused?"

The old man said, "I've lived a while son and I know people pretty well. When I looked into their eyes I saw no concern at all for me, so I knew it was useless to ask. But when I looked into your eyes, I saw kindness and compassion."

At the door of the old man's house the rider stopped, looked up and silently prayed, "God, may I never get so busy with my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others."

And with that, President Thomas Jefferson turned and directed his horse back toward the White House.

Sources for this article: Margaret