A young woman was thrown out by her wealthy father at the age of sixteen because she married a poor man. After her husband died, she found herself on the streets with her four children.
Steve Walton was displeased when his butler told him that Pastor Morris was waiting for him. He was tired after a long flight from Singapore and in no mood to listen to the man’s words or his pleas for community support.
He ushered the pastor in and greeted him quickly. “So, tell me!” he said. “What do you want this time?”
“Mr. Walton, I saw Susan,” the minister said softly, and Steve’s heart almost stopped. His only daughter had left home nearly fifteen years ago, and they hadn’t seen each other since…
“Susan?” Steve cried anxiously. “Where? When? How is she?”
“I was in Los Angeles helping a friend with a mission to the homeless and that’s when I saw her,” the pastor said.
“Was she a volunteer? Did you tell her I was looking for her?” Steve asked.
“No,” Pastor Morris said softly. “She wasn’t a volunteer, Mr. Walton. She’s homeless. She and her children are living in a car.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Steve found himself so dizzy he had to sit down. “Homeless? My Susan? Kids?” he exclaimed.
“I’m afraid so,” said the pastor. “And she wouldn’t even listen to me when I told her to go home.”
“But why?” Steve asked angrily. “She’s not with that loser anymore, is she?”
“Her husband died three years ago, Mr. Walton,” the pastor explained. “And she told me she didn’t want to take her children to a home where their father is despised.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Steve Walton felt that old, familiar wave of rage wash over him. Fifteen years later, Susan was still challenging him! He remembers the scene in his office, and Susan’s eyes staring at him as he raged.
“Pregnant at 16, and by the gardener!” he had shouted. “Well, we’ll take care of that, and he’s fired! You’ll never see that man again!”
“He’s my baby, Daddy,” Susan had said in a trembling voice. “And he’s the man I love. I’m going to marry him.”
“You marry that man and you’re on your own, Susan, do you hear?” Steve shouted furiously. “No more money, nothing! You marry him and get out of my house!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Susan looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I love you, Dad,” she said. Then she turned and left. Although Steve sent detectives to look for her, no one could find her.
“How many children?” he asked Pastor Morris.
“Four,” said the pastor. “Three girls and one boy. Beautiful children.”
Steve picked up the phone and gave orders for his plane to be prepared. “Pastor, will you come with me to Los Angeles to see my little girl?” he asked softly.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
The pastor agreed, and within two hours, the two men were aboard Steve’s private jet heading south. A limousine was waiting, and the pastor directed them to a parking lot outside a large shopping mall.
At the far end of the lot, a pickup truck was parked with a tent pitched on the back. Pastor Morris had told Steve that when Susan’s husband died in a work accident, the insurance company refused to pay, and the bank foreclosed on the mortgage.
Susan had crammed the children and their few belongings into the old pickup truck. She worked at the mall as a cleaner. She and the children used the mall’s services and bought what was left at the restaurants at the end of the evening.
Yet she had managed to feed, clean, and educate her four children. As the two men approached the car, they heard happy voices and laughter. Then two children burst out of the back.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
The older girl, about fourteen, was laughing as she tickled a boy of about seven. The children stopped and looked at Steve and Pastor Morris. “Mom!” the girl shouted. “Your friend, the old pastor, is here!”
A distinct voice asked from inside the tent, “Preacher Morris?” Susan then came out, and Steve could see the shock on her face when she saw him standing next to the pastor.
“Dad?” she asked, and her eyes filled with tears.
Steve was shocked. His daughter was barely thirty-one, but she looked much older. Her face was worn and marked by worry and pain, her hands were worn from hard work.
“Susan,” Steve shouted. “Look at you! Look what he did to my princess! I wanted so much for you! And you married that loser! What could he give you? Poverty?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Susan shook her head and said, “He loved me, Dad, and he gave me four beautiful children. He died, and I had nowhere to go, but I did what I could for my children. I will always love the father of my children, Dad, just as I have always loved you.”
Steve noticed tears streaming down his face. “Forgive me, Susan,” he sobbed. “Please forgive me. Come home, I want you all to come home with me. Let me help you look after the children!”
Steve found himself in the arms of his crying daughter and knew everything was going to be okay. Susan introduced him to her three granddaughters, then placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And this,” she said, smiling, “is little Stevie!”
“You named him after me?” Steve asked, amazed. “After what I did?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“I love you, Daddy,” she said softly. “Don’t you know that?”
That afternoon, they all boarded a plane back to Texas. It was the beginning of a better life for each of them.
What can we learn from this story?
- Love and accept your children unconditionally . Steve was furious with Susan for loving a poor man and made the biggest mistake of his life by losing his daughter.
- Don’t judge people for their wealth or influence . Steve hated his son-in-law because he was poor, but he was a loving husband to Susan and a devoted father.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
This story is inspired by the daily lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to real names or places is purely coincidental. All images are used for illustrative purposes only. Share your story with us; it might change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, email us at info@amomama.com.
Để lại một phản hồi