The following is a story about a tidal wave of love and hope which I heard recently from a close friend. It’s about a young child’s love of ice cream.
Praying for ice cream
A man was having lunch with his children in a restaurant when his young son turned to him and asked if he coud say Grace before meals?
As they bowed their heads he said, ‘God is great and God is good. Let us thank Him for the food, and I would even thank you more God if Dad gets us ice cream for dessert! Amen!’
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, a woman remarked, “That’s what wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!”
Hearing this, the boy burst into tears and asked me “Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?’ The father told hiim he had done a terrific job and God was not mad at him.’
Just then an elderly gentleman approached the table. He leaned over to the child and said, ‘I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer,’ Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing). ‘Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.’
After lunch the father bought his children ice cream. His son started at his for a moment. Then, without asking, he picked up his ice cream and walked over and placed it in front of the woman.
With a big smile he fold her, ‘Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already.’
Children are our hope
Young people are our source of hope and inspiration. Unfortunately, a large majority of them are being deprived of their fundamental rights and are forced to live in deplorable conditions without love, support, guidance and real care.
It is our responsibility to ensure that the nations of the world and the counties in our country value and nurture our children, for they are indeed our most precious treasure.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘if we are to have real peace, love and hope, we must begin with the young people and the children’.
Another of my favourite quotes, which gives credence to children being our hope, is by James Agee, ‘In every child who is born under no matter what circumstances, the potentiality of the human race is born again, and in them too, once more and in each of us, is born again our terrific responsibility towards human life.’
Thought for the week
As your thought for this week, buy somebody an ice cream who might need it. We all need a little ice cream in our lives sometimes.
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- Ronan Scully
