It was a sweltering hot day and I was longing to go swimming
at the local pool. Instead, I was riding in the back seat of the car as my
parents drove to a friend's house. They were going to lend a hand to a community
work camp repairing her roof and porch.
As an eight year old boy I knew that there wouldn't be much
for me to do and I was right. In the end I fetched a few hammers, threw away
some scrap pieces of wood, and spent the rest of the time sitting in the yard
watching.
The work camp was mostly made up of teenagers who had given
up part of their vacation to help others. They were supervised by the head of
the camp and a few skilled carpenters who were also working free of charge. I
spent most of that afternoon sitting in the shade while they sweated in the
sunshine.
They were cutting boards and hammering them in place. They
were pulling out rotted tiles and nailing in new ones. They were scraping off
the old paint and brushing on the new. They were doing it all too with an
energy of joy. They shared stories and smiles. They shared jokes and laughter.
They shared a spirit of caring that was beautiful to behold.
Finally our friend called me into the house to help her pay
them with the two things she could afford: sweet tea and smiles. I gingerly
carried out the glasses to the workers who downed them with gusto. By the end
of the day the three gallons of tea were gone. The workers were out of nails,
paint, and lumber but the job was done.
There was one thing left, however. It was the one thing that
you never run out of. It was the one thing that you can't give away without
having even more of it.
It was Love. It lightened our spirits. It lifted our smiles. It made us feel at one with both Heaven and God. I went home with a heart full of it and was happier than any day at the pool could have made me.
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