To those who listen and share. Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for your support.
Susan

A Woman and a Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the Pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork, the best is yet to come."

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to "Keep their fork."

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share ... being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.
And keep your fork!

Best, Susan

Thank you for posting that story! I have read it before, but i couldn't have stumbled upon it at a better time!

Thank you for posting that story! I have read it before, but i couldn't have stumbled upon it at a better time!

What a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing it.

The message given by this story is very special and true... Thanks for sharing!

Here is another story to celebrate fiendship. Hope you don't mind if I share it here on your thread: <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Sand Or Stone?

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert.

In a specific point of the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one on the face.

The one, who got slapped, was hurt, but without anything to say, he wrote in the sand: "TODAY, MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME ON THE FACE".

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who got slapped and hurt started drowning, and the other friend saved him.

When he recovered from the fright, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE".

The friend who saved and slapped his best friend, asked him, "Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?"

The other friend, smiling, replied: "When a friend hurts us, we should write it down in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness get in charge of erasing it away, and when something great happens, we should engrave it in the stone of the memory of the heart, where no wind can erase it"

Suz...of course I don't mine. Friendship should be shared and cherished.

Best,
Susan

USTR - The "Keep your fork" saying has been used (literally) in my family gatherings for as long as I can remember. Your post put a real meaning to it for me as I had never heard the story. When I read your post I emailed it to my FWW and told her I thought this could be a theme in our new relationship. Last night we were at my in-law's Thanksgiving gathering and after dinner someone said "Keep your fork." My wife looked at me and winked. Part of my heart was restored. Thank you so very much for your post.

Hurtin'

Hurtin', I'm so glad it's given you new meaning to an otherwise blase fragment. I'm particularly excited that your FWW has returned home. You have much to be thankful for...

Best,
Susan

I'd be interested in hearing your story. How did you turn her around?

Susan - Thanks again and yes I do have plenty to be thankful for.

Married 21 years, DD10 & DD14, on 9/3/04 WW admitted to 3 year A. WW said she put our M on "hold" because we grew distant, without telling me. OM was a "friend" who's marriage was on the rocks and "needed" someone to talk to, etc...

By the grace of God I found MB within a few days of DDay. I lurked here reading everything I could, learning from people in similar situations and worse. We started MC, with our pastor, just a few days after DDay and I realized my marriage could be saved. So I committed myself to rebuilding my relationship with WW. There was also a lot of self reflection. I knew I had to be a better person, father, and husband. I started my plan A (as soon as I figured out what plan A is) and after a few weeks, posted a thread here titled "Speeding through recovery?"

Friday will be 12 weeks post DDay and we continue to recover with no major setbacks so far. This thread is the first FWW designation I have used because I believe that my FWW has committed herself, not just words, to rebuilding our M. It may be early to use this designation, but I'm trying to keep a positive attitude.

That's it in a nutshell. Thanks for askin'

Hurtin'

Another one I want to share today: <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, 'My ears, Mommy.'

She said, 'No, many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.'

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attept, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, 'Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.'

She looked at me and told me, 'You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct becuase there are many people who are blind.'

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was,

'No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child.' Then! last year my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my faterh cried. I remember that especially because it was only the second time I saw him cry.

My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, 'Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?' I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me...

'This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you was wrong and I have given you an example why.

But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson.'

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, 'My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder.' I asked, 'Is it because it holds up my head?'

She replied, 'No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear.

I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.'

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one.

It is sympathetic to the pain of Others.

People will forget what you said....

People will forget what you did...

But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

Hurtin'

Thanks for sharing your story. I hope ours ends us as well. It's been a tough road. He continues to see her. Thiw week he bought a PO box ("for work"). Don't believe that.

I'm thinking I need to sell the house -- to much, yard too big, etc. But that seems to be a nail in the coffin. I've thougth about Plan B w/letter and confronting OW (not sure who knows on her side, do know OW's H knows)...Your thoughts? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

H is taking the kids to day to his S's. He was pretty upset that my SIL shared our story with H's potential clients...but Dobson and Harley say exposure is key...right now, his friends and her co-workers don't know. Thoughts?

I'm going to spend Tgiving serving food at a church shelter...time to give back. The the PM with my MIL (divorce) and some of her friends.

Hope all of you have a thankful Tgiving.

Susan

A couple years ago, I went to a Girl Scout leader recharge weekend. At the door when we registered, we were asked to pick out a fork tied to a ribbon and pin it to our shirt. Most of us wore them all weekend. It wasn't until the end, that the retreat leader told us this same story.

I still have my fork.