Best Love Story Ever
All The Good Things Part 2
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Things Part 1
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No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I
never knew if they discussed them after class or with
their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had
accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with
themselves and one another again.
That group of students moved on. Several years later,
after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the
airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the
usual questions about the trip, the weather, and my experiences
in general. There was a light lull in the conversation.
Mother gave Dad a side-ways glance and simply says, "Dad?"
My father cleared his throat as he usually did before
something important. "The Eklunds called last night,"
he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't
heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is."
Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam,"
he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents
would like it if you could attend."
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before.
Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think
at that moment was, Mark, I would give all the masking
tape in the world if only you would talk to me.
The church was packed with Mark's friends. The pastor
said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One
by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin
and sprinkled it with holy water.
I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there,
one of the soldiers who had acted as pallbearer came up
to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked.
I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark
talked about you a lot," he said.
After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed
to Chucks farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father
were there, obviously waiting for me. "We want to
show you something," his father said, taking a wallet
out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when
he was killed. We thought you might recognize it."
Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces
of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded
and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the
papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good
things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank
you so much for doing that." Mark's mother said.
"As you can see, Mark treasured it."
Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie
smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have
my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."
Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put this in
our wedding album." "I have mine too,"
Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki,
another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out
her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the
group. "I carry this with me at all times,"
Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we
all saved our lists."
That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for
Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.
The purpose of this story is to encourage everyone to
compliment the people you love and care about. We often
tend to forget the importance of showing our affections
and love. Sometimes the smallest of things, could mean
the most to another. Please spread this story around and
spread the message and encouragement, to express your
love and caring by complimenting and being open with communication.
The density of people in society is so thick, that we
forget that life will end one day and we don't know when
that one day will be. Tell them, before it is too late.
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