A Gift of Love

One cold, blustery, wind driven night,

A husband and wife journeyed to a small town,

As the King had decreed that all people be counted,

In the towns and teeming cities from whence they came.

The journey was long and hard, especially for the woman,

Who was close to bringing her first child into the world.

When at last they reached the crowded town,

The man frantically searched for a safe, warm place.

At each and every door, he was told there was no room.

Finally an old innkeeper, though having no space in his lodge,

Kindly offered them refuge from the bitterly cold night,

In a small shelter he had built for his animals in the nearby hills.

The two travellers faced into the icy wind with their donkey,

And in the light of a bright new star, found their way to the humble stable.

It was there that this child was born, surrounded by beasts of the field,

While visitors from afar came and gathered, bearing gifts for the infant.

The night’s cold grew, and the icy wind howled,

While the new born child fretted and cried,

Wrapped only in his mother’s shawls,

While those gathered pondered how to make him more comfortable.

A tiny, half-starved, kitten watched, and knowing well the discomfort

Of the terrible cold, crept silently into the manger where the baby lay.

There, this kitten quietly gave its humble gift of love and warmth,

Stretching its thin, fragile body against the newborn child to warm Him.

Slowly, the infant smiled and drifted off to sleep.

There was no crying or fretting now,

There was no longer discomfort now,

Only the soft sound of the kitten’s melodious lullaby.

As the new mother witnessed this gift of love to her child,

She soon returned a miraculous gift to the tiny kitten.

She promised that its kind would always wear an ‘M’ on their foreheads,

As a sign of her great thanks, and the thanks of her new born son.

I’ve never encountered a feline that did not bear this gift of Mary on its forehead.

You can return this kitten’s gift of unconditional love by adopting a cat or dog from your local animal shelter this Holiday Season.

And if adoption isn’t feasible, a small donation of money, some cat or dog food, or even some litter or toys, would be greatly appreciated by your local animal shelter, and the numerous animals being kept there.

Even better, you can call your local animal shelter and ask about their ‘Wish List.’  Every shelter has one, and you just might have something collecting dust in your home that you no longer want – and that they desperately need.

Most animal shelters rely on donations to survive. Your tiny gift of sharing might allow some animals to survive a little longer.

Please include homeless animals in this Season of Giving.

Animals give to us – all year long – and never ask very much in return.

Be sure to check out Ed's websites.

http://edkostro.home.comcast.net/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html

www.authorsden.com/edkostro

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