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The Three Travelers
A woman noticed three men with long white beards standing outside her front gate. “May I help you gentlemen?” she asked. “We have traveled many miles and are hungry,” one of the men said. “Could we trouble you for something to eat?” “It would be no bother,” the woman replied. “Please come in.” “Wait,” one of the other travelers said, “Is your husband home?” “Not yet, but he will be home soon” the woman said. “Then we will wait for him before we come into your home.” “Very well,” the woman said and returned to her chores. A short time later her husband arrived home. She told him about the three travelers, and they decided to go into the front yard together to invite them in for supper. “ You can ask only one of us in,” said one of the men. “I am Wealth, that is Success, and the other fellow with us is Love. You must decide which one of us can enter your home.” The husband pulled his wife aside and said, “Let’s ask Wealth to come into our home. Maybe he will bestow many fine gifts upon us.” The wife disagreed, “We should invite Success. Success makes wealth possible, and successful people always have lives filled with love and good fortune.” Just then the couple’s daughter joined in the conversation. “ You should always choose Love. Without love there is nothing.” The couple thought about it for a moment and then walked to the gate. The wife said, “Love, we would like to invite you to have supper with us.” The husband opened the gate, and all three men walked into the yard. “But I thought you said we could only invite one of you in?” the husband questioned. “That is correct,” one of the bearded men answered. “But you chose Love. And wherever Love goes everything else will follow.” Yesterday, February 17th around three o’clock, I received a phone call from my good friend Pinky Black. I knew that Betty was very ill but had not anticipated the call coming so soon. Betty had passed away at about 1:30 pm. For the rest of the day and again this morning, all I could think of was what a wonderful, loving and unselfish person Betty had always been. This morning as I sat on my deacon’s bench to put my boots on I could not help but to remember that I had mentioned to Betty that I would like to have one. Within two weeks Betty had traveled around North Georgia until she found me one. I never spent the night with Pinky
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and Betty that I did not leave with more than I showed up with. Now it wasn’t necessarily the rain coat, shirts or the deacon’s bench but with a renewed spirit and a good feeling just knowing that I had their LOVE. You see Pinky and Betty first invited LOVE into their home. As life goes on I will never sit on my bench that I don’t think of the love, friendship and support that I received from Betty. I am surely blessed to have had Miss Betty for my friend! P.S. Hey Kenny!