Soon Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a conference on his failing school work and disruptive behavior. Neither parent knew that I had summoned the other.

Tommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative, and an excellent student. How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a brokenhearted child's reaction to his adored parents' separation and pending divorce?

Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs I had placed near my desk. Then the father arrived. They pointedly ignored each other.

As I gave a detailed account of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his smudged, carelessly done papers.

I found a crumpled, tear-stained sheet stuffed in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides, a single sentence scribbled over and over.

Silently I smoothed it out and gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then without a word handed it to her husband. He frowned. Then his face softened. He studied the scrawled words for what seemed an eternity.

At last he folded the paper carefully and reached for his wife's outstretched hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. My own eyes were brimming, but neither seemed to notice.

In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the anguished outpouring of a small boy's troubled heart.

"Dear Mother.. Dear Daddy.. I love you.. I love you.. I love you."

By Jane Lindstorm

Our Children Need Us.

We can be so demanding, so controling, so wanting it our way that we can hurt and destroy everything that is really important to us. We sometimes forget how fragile a relationship, a marriage, really is. We get all upset over trivial matters and they are blown out of proportion and before we know it we are throwing away the most precious and wonderful things inour lives. Suddenly, our marriage, our relationship, our love is crumbling and we don't even understand why.

The sad truth is that we hurt everyone we love. We hurt our spouse, our children, our families and ourselves. We need to stop and realize the price of being right, of being somebody and re-evaluate what is really important. We need to work at our relationships. We need to put the same effort in keeping our marriage vital as we did in winning heart of the one we love. It isn't easy but it is worth the effort.

It has been said that good marriages are the product of much effort but bring to the heart the best of life. Do yourself a favor.. speak words of love to your loved one, show them your love with acts of kindness, share your love in everyway possible and you find yourself becoming the most loved person possible.