A BABY'S HUG..PASS ME A TISSUE.....

~ A Baby's Hug ~ We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik ina high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking.Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fatbaby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughterand his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggledwith merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whosepants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out ofwould-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed andunwashed.. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nosewas so varicose it looked like a road map.We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled.. His handswaved 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.' Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at theman. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Ourmeal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya 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 forErik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-rowbum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husbandwent to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. Theold man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out ofhere before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to theman, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he mightbe breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both armsin a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik hadpropelled himself from my arms to the man. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated theirlove and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submissionlaid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyesclosed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full ofgrime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked hisback. 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 andhis eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commandingvoice, 'You take care of this baby.' Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he werein 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 ranfor the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erikso 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 tinychild who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, anda 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 willingto share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity.How did God feel when he put his baby in our arms 2000 years ago. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdomof God , we must become as little children.' If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on.Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. Wemust always remember who we are, where we came from and, mostimportantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or thecar that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you atall; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are. This one is a keeper. 'It is better to be liked for the true you, than to be loved for whopeople think you are......'(Amen! ) I believe we could all take lessons from God's little children!!!