Fwd: Re: Thanks for your time! (Especially for Becki)

[Guest guest]

Becki,

My cousin sent this to me, and normally I don't

forward things like this, since most people have

enough to read, BUT, after reading your message

about the hardest phone call, I thought immediately

of you. And...thank you so much for YOUR time.

C

Mommy to Mick and Alli, 3 yo twins wcf

> > >

> > >> A young man learns what's most important in

> life

> > >>

> > >> from the guy next door. It had been some time

> > >>since Jack had

> > >>

> > >> seen the old man. College, girls,career, and

> life

> > >>itself got in

> > >>

> > >> the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the

> > >>country

> > >>

> > >> in pursuit of his dreams.

> > >>

> > >> There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had

> > >>little

> > >>

> > >> time to think about the past and often no time

> to

> > >>

> > >> spend with his wife and son. He was working on

> > >>

> > >> his future, and nothing could stop him.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Over the phone, his mother told him, " Mr.

> Belser

> > >>

> > >> died last night. The funeral is Wednesday. "

> > >>

> > >> Memories flashed through his mind like an old

> > >>

> > >> newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his

> > >>

> > >> childhood days.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Jack, did you hear me? "

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been

> so

> > >>

> > >> long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I

> > >>

> > >> honestly thought he died years ago, " Jack

> said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw

> him

> > >>

> > >> he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce

> about

> > >>

> > >> the many days you spent over 'his side of the

> > >>

> > >> fence' as he put it, " Mom told him.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " I loved that old house he lived in, " Jack

> said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr.

> > >>

> > >> Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's

> > >>

> > >> influence in your life, " she said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " He's the one who taught me carpentry, " he

> said.

> > >>

> > >> " I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't

> for

> > >>

> > >> him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things

> > >>

> > >> he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there

> for

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> the funeral, " Jack said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack

> caught

> > >>

> > >> the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's

> > >>

> > >> funeral was small and uneventful. He had no

> > >>

> > >> children of his own, and most of his relatives

> had

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> passed away.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> The night before he had to return home, Jack

> and

> > >>

> > >> his Mom stopped by to see the old house next

> door

> > >>

> > >> one more time.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a

> moment.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> It was like crossing over into another

> dimension,

> > >>a

> > >>

> > >> leap through space and time. The house was

> > >>

> > >> exactly as he remembered. Every step held

> > >>

> > >> memories. Every picture, every piece of

> > >>

> > >> furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " What's wrong, Jack? " his Mom asked.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " The box is gone, " he said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " What box? " Mom asked.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " There was a small gold box that he kept

> locked on

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> top of his desk. I must have asked him a

> thousand

> > >>

> > >> times what was inside.

> > >>

> > >> All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value

> > >>most,' "

> > >>

> > >> Jack said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> It was gone. Everything about the house was

> > >>

> > >> exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the

> > >>box.

> > >>

> > >> He figured someone from the Belser family had

> > >>taken

> > >>

> > >> it.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Now I'll never know what was so valuable to

> him, "

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Jack said. " I better get some sleep. I have an

> > >>

> > >> early flight home, Mom. "

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser

> died.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Returning home from work one day Jack

> discovered a

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> note in his mailbox.

> > >>

> > >> " Signature required on a package. No one at

> home.

> > >>

> > >> Please stop by the main post office within the

> > >>next

> > >>

> > >> three days, " the note read.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Early the next day Jack retrieved the package.

> The

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> small box was old and looked like it had been

> > >>mailed

> > >>

> > >> a hundred years ago. The handwriting was

> difficult

> > >>to

> > >>

> > >> read, but the return address caught his

> attention.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Mr. Harold Belser " it read.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Jack took the box out to his car and ripped

> open

> > >>

> > >> the package. There inside was the gold box and

> an

> > >>

> > >> envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the

> note

> > >>

> > >> inside.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Upon my death, please forward this box and

> its

> > >>

> > >> contents to Jack .

> > >>

> > >> It's the thing I valued most in my life. " A

> small

> > >>

> > >> key was taped to the letter. His heart racing,

> as

> > >>

> > >> tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully

> unlocked

> > >>

> > >> the box.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket

> > >>watch.

> > >>

> > >> Running his fingers slowly over the finely

> etched

> > >>

> > >> casing, he unlatched the cover.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Inside he found these words engraved: " Jack,

> > >>

> > >> Thanks for your time!

> > >>

> > >> Harold Belser. "

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " The thing he valued most...was...my time. "

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then

> called

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> his office and cleared his appointments for

> the

> > >>next

> > >>

> > >> two days.

> > >>

> > >> " Why? " Janet, his assistant asked.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " I need some time to spend with my son, " he

> said.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> " Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your

> time! "

> > >>

> > >> " Life is not measured by the number of breaths

> we

> > >>take but by the moments that take our breath

> away. "

> > >> - Unknown

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Have a great day. Oh, and thank you for your

> time.

>

>