“Lord? HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT,” the lonely old man prayed. “And if I don’t, I hope THERE’S HOLES IN THE FLOOR OF HEAVEN that I might slip through unseen.”

A silent tear slowly trickled down his aged and creased face. He reached to wipe it away with a trembling hand. “With a HEART HALF EMPTY, I continue to search HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE for a friendly face. But never even a HELLO STRANGER do I get. People pass me by and divert their eyes to keep from seeing me, people with nice normal lives that can’t see one so humble as I, down on my luck for reasons unknown to them.”

“I’ve lived my life not always on the straight and narrow as you well know, Lord. But I pray you will understand and forgive this errant old sinner and welcome me home when my time here is done.”

“In Jesus name, This is my prayer and my HOBO’S MEDITATION. Amen”

I have literally searched here, there, and everywhere for the cause of the holes in the floor of heaven. After years of searching I was becoming quite frazzled and frustrated. With my heart half empty, I set out once again in search of the answer. I came upon a quiet old man as I strolled down a dusty old road. He spoke first and said hello stranger, you look weary and stressed. I responded with telling him about my plight. We talked for a while and I discovered that he was returning from a similar journey. I asked the man if he had any suggestions to help me make it through the night. He told me that there is only one thing that I can do while I am on this journey that will bring me comfort and peace. That, my boy, he said; is the Hobo’s Meditation.

When the old man was done explaining the ins and outs and reasons of the meditation, I immediately put his words to use. When I came out of my self-induced trance, I felt great! I felt as if my efforts will some day pay off. But, the old man was gone. All that remained was a note written in the dust of the road. It read “Good Luck, my boy. I know you will one day find what you seek. ” It was signed “Joe”. JOE! That’s MY name. You don’t think…..

On her way to her car she noticed a homeless man begging for coins. He looked at her with world weary eyes as she passed.

“Hello stranger, do you think you could spare some change to help me make it through the night?”

Susie absentmindedly dug in her purse and handed him a few small bills. His eyes lit up for a moment and he stuffed the bills into his pocket. She watched him shuffle away and finally sit on a bench looking relieved and in deep thought, a kind of hobo’s meditation, she guessed.

All the way home Susie thought about the irony of life. Why was that man out here begging while was she on her way home to a lovely Christmas eve celebration amongst loving family? What if by some crazy fluke their roles were reversed? She shuddered at the thought but now that it had wormed its way into her consciousness she could not escape it!

She arrived home with her heart half empty, what prospect did she have to do anything to change things? A whisper on the wind told her “here,there and everywhere, opportunities abound, if you will only open your heart to find them”

She suddenly remembered that the homeless shelter several miles away had been soliciting for gifts and assistance with serving a Cristmas Eve dinner. Her mom and two daughters immediately loved the idea of donating their gifts and helping out at the shelter on this most blessed night!! And so this became their new Christmas tradition!! There were holes in the floor of Heaven that night as a soft rain fell, but it was no longer raining in Susie’s heart!