What's with the Fork?
There was a young woman who had been
diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So
as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor and had
him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at
the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted
to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was
preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very
important to her.
"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.
"What's that?" came the Pastor's reply.
"This is very important," the young woman
continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman,
not knowing quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young
woman asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the
request," said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. "My grandmother
once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass
along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement.
In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when
the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably
lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew
that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish
apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in
that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the
fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork the best is yet to
come."
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy
as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last
times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young
woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of
what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much
experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the
young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork
placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question,
"What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the
people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she
died He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He
told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them
that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down
for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to
come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and
encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and
they always want to open their hearts to us.
Show your friends how much you care. Remember
to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know
when it may be their time to "Keep their fork."
Cherish the time you have, and the memories
you share ... being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet
responsibility.
Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND
even if it means sending back to the person who sent it to you.
And keep your fork.
