Motivating love

Richard was the second-youngest of nine children.

One Saturday afternoon, three days before Christmas, his mother was in her usual rush to get everything done. She asked Richard to go upstairs and polish her Sunday shoes.

After awhile Richard brought down the shoes, obviously proud of the job he had done. Mother was so pleased that she reached into her purse and handed him a quarter.

A quarter was quite a treasure, especially three days before Christmas, but Richard looked puzzled. He took the money, picked up the shoes, and quietly went back upstairs. In a few minutes, his mother rushed up to change her clothes.

As she slipped her feet into the shiny shoes, her right foot hit a lump in the toe. She was half-annoyed and hurriedly pulled out a wad of paper. She unwrapped it and out fell a quarter.

Written in a seven-year-old scrawl were the words, “I done it for love.”

– reuben tellis