I was reminded of how much the little things can mean to others before the Christmas holiday. I took a day off work and went to Kansas City to finish up some last minute shopping.
I decided to make a stop along the way. As I pulled off at the Concordia exit, the excitement brewed deep within me — for I was about to see two men had I hadn’t seen in a very long time.
kAm(96? E96 '6E6C2?D A286 H2D 4C62E65[ 2 =@E @7 @FC DE@C:6D 42>6 7C@> E96 r@?4@C5:2 2C62] ~G6C E96 J62CD x’G6 8@EE6? E@ <?@H BF:E6 2 76H @7 E96D6 G6E6C2?D] x <?6H EH@ @7 E96D6 >6? H6C6 C6D:56?ED @7 E96 {FE96C2? v@@5 $96A96C5 }FCD:?8 w@>6]k^Am
kAm%96 =2DE E:>6 x D2H q:== }:6?9F6D6C H2D :? a__f] x 4@?G:?465 9:> E@ 4@>6 E@ $652=:2 E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E96 |:DD@FC: '6E6C2? $E@C:6D AC@;64E] %96 E96? gg\J62C @=5 G6E6C2? H2=<65 :?E@ E96 s6>@4C2E H:E9 9:D pC>J F?:7@C> @? 2?5 2 8=62> :? 9:D 6J6] w6 H2D A2CE @7 E96 s\s2J :?G2D:@?]k^Am
kAmx >6E '6C?@? |6J6C :? a__a[ 3FE x 925?’E D66? 9:> D:?46 E96 s6>@4C2E 96=5 2 A2CEJ 7@C :ED “v6?6C2E:@?D 7@C uC665@>” 3@@< :? a__e] x EC:65 E@ 86E '6C?@? E@ 5@ @?6 @7 E96 DE2E6 G:56@D E@@[ 3FE 9:D 962=E9 H@F=5?’E 2==@H 9:>] w6 A2CE:4:A2E65 :? E96 q2EE=6 @7 {6JE6 5FC:?8 (@C=5 (2C xx]k^Am
kAmw6 42==D >6 7C@> E:>6 E@ E:>6 E@ D2J 96==@ @C E@ 6IAC6DD 9:D E9@F89ED @? 2 DE@CJ] (:E9 E96k^Am
kAm2DD:DE2?46 @7 E96 ?FCD:?8 9@>6[ x 96=A65 9:> 86E 9:D h_E9 3:CE952J 2??@F?46>6?E :? E96 A2A6C :? ~4E@36C]k^Am
kAm%96J 925 ?@ :562 x H2D 4@>:?8] x H2=<65 :?E@ '6C?@?’D C@@> 7:CDE 2?5 D2:5 96==@] x?:E:2==J[ 96 5:5?’E C62=:K6 H9@ x H2D[ 3FE @?46 96 5:5[ 96 8C23365 2 9@=5 @7 >J 92?5] w6 4@F=5?’E 36=:6G6 9:D 6J6D 2?5 E92E x H2D C62==J E96C6 :? A6CD@?]k^Am
kAmw6 2D<65 :7 96 4@F=5 4@>6 H:E9 >6 E@ D66 q:== 2?5 ?66565 >J 2DD:DE2?46 E@ 86E :?E@ 9:D H966=492:C] x 8=25=J @3=:865 2?5 H6 C@==65 :?E@ q:==’D C@@>]k^Am
kAmw6 H2D DFCAC:D65 E@@] %96 E9C66 @7 FD E2=<65 23@FE DA@FD6D[ 49:=5C6?[ H2C[ H@C< 2?5 962=E9] x 4@F=5 E6== 9@H >F49 >J G:D:E >62?E E@ E96>[ 3642FD6 x 4@F=5 D66 E96 E62CD :? E96:C 6J6D]k^Am
kAm~FE @7 2== E96 r9C:DE>2D AC6D6?ED x 82G6 E@ @E96CD[ >J 23D@=FE6 72G@C:E6 H2D 8:G:?8 D@>6 @7 >J E:>6 E@ '6C?@? 2?5 q:==] x <?@H E9@D6 76H >:?FE6D H:== <66A E96> D>:=:?8 7@C H66<D]x <?@H E96J 5:5 >6]k^Am
kAm'6E6C2?D =:<6 E96D6 42? 36 7@F?5 2E 2?J ?FCD:?8 9@>6] x7 J@F <?@H D@>6 H9@ 2C6[ x 6?4@FC286 J@F E@ E2<6 E96 E:>6 E@ G:D:E E96>] (9:=6 :E >2J D66> =:<6 DF49 2 =:EE=6 E9:?8[ E92E 86DEFC6 42? 36 2 C2J @7 DF?D9:?6 E@ D@>6 H9@ ?665D @?6]k^Am
