There was once a boy who was born without a heart. As far back as he could remember he didn’t feel right. Something was missing.
Though he didn’t have a heart, a man in authority who seemed to know about these things gave him a heart shaped box and said:
“Fill this with good things and then you will have a full heart”. The heart shaped box was big and red and shiny with a padlock on it. It had a slot in the lid to put things in.
The boy wondered what to put in the box. First he put in some of his toys. The he emptied his piggy bank, shaking all the coins in it into the box. There seemed to be plenty of space left in the box. So the boy got a job as a paper boy and every week he would put his money into the heart shaped box. He put sweets and computer games and magazines into the hole in the box. The box was still not full.
The boy was growing up. He was good at reading and put all the books he loved into the box. He got a college degree and put his college books into the box along with his degree papers and his graduation clothes.
By this time the boy was growing up. He got a job and put his salary in the box. The box was still not full. He put car keys and jewelery and drinks and good food into the box. He got married and put his wedding ring in the box.
One day the boy was tired and angry. Nothing was changing. Nothing was helping. He still did not have a real heart and wanted to know why the box would not fill up. He took a crow bar and jammed it against the lid of the box. With a snapping sound the lock came off and the lid fell open. Inside, the heart shaped box was dry and empty. The boy was very sad and began to cry, and his tears fell on the dust on the bottom of the box.Holding the box, he turned around. He did not know where he was going or what he was going to do. At that moment, through his tears, he saw a man. The boy did not know who it was, he could not see clearly because he was crying so much. This man was dressed simply, like a gardener, not like a man of authority.
“Why are you crying?” said the man.
“I have given my life and all that is precious to me to filling up this stupid box” said the boy, “and now I do not know where it has all gone. Now I will never have a heart.”
The man was quiet, then said to the boy.
“Give me the box.”
The man took a simple piece of wood that was in the shape of a heart. The heart was scarred and splintered and ugly. It wasn’t pretty and expensive like the things that the boy had put into the box before. “This heart is simple and lowly” said the man “but it should do the trick”. He put it inside, then nailed the lid of the heart shaped box shut with three long nails.
The boy looked at the heart shaped box. Now, the crack in the lid was sealed with the wood of the heart that was inside it. He couldn’t put anything into it any more.
Suddenly, the boy realized that he felt different. He touched his chest. Something had happened inside him. What was this new sensation? Amazed, the boy realized that he had a new heart, and the first thing that he felt in it was gratitude. He turned in astonishment to thank the man, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Good Times xx
