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The boy kept staring out the window, paying no attention to anyone else on the train. The man tried to read, but found himself looking up again and again to see the boy's face pressed against the window. He sensed that the boy was fighting to hold back tears.
Finally, the boy asked the man, "Do you know what time it is? And do you know when we are due to arrive at Smithville?" The man gave the boy the time, and went on to say, "Smithville, that's a very small town, isn't it? I didn't know that the train stopped there." "It usually doesn't," said the boy. "But they said that they would stop there for me so that I could get off -- if I decide to. I used to live there."
The boy returned to the window and the man to his book. It was quite a while before conversation began once again. But when it did, the boy told the man the story of his life. "Four years ago," he said, "I did something very bad, so bad that I had to run away from home. I couldn't face my father after what I did. So I left without even saying goodbye to him. Since then, I have worked a bit here and a bit there. I never stayed very long in one place. I've been pretty lonely. Until finally, I decided that I wanted to go back to my father's house."
"Does your father know you're coming," the man asked. "He knows that I'm coming, but I don't know if he will be there or not. I sent him a letter. I didn't know if he would want me back or not after what I did. I wasn't sure if he would forgive me. So, in my letter, I said that I would come home if he wanted me to."
"I told him that if he wanted me to come home, he could put a sign on a tree which is a few hundred yards before the railroad station in Smithville. I told him that I would look for a white ribbon on one of the branches of that tree as the train passes. If there is a white ribbon on the tree, then I'll get off. If not, then I'll just keep on riding to wherever this train goes."
Trust had developed between the man and the boy as they waited for Smithville. Suddenly, the boy turned to the man and asked, "Will you do me a favor" Will you please look for me? I'm just too scared to look."
So the man, now fully involved, took a place by the window. A few moments later, the conductor came down the aisle and called out, "Next stop - Smithville." The boy just sat there, nearly paralyzed with fear, as the man looked intently out of the window.
And then he saw it. He shouted so loudly that everyone in the car looked around. "It's there! Look, it's there." The boy looked and saw the tree. The entire tree was covered with white ribbons."
For any of us – and I dare say this applies to most of us – who find we have hardened our hearts in regard to a loved one – what better time than now to pick up the phone and offer a few white ribbons?
B’shalom,
Jim
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