All You Need Is Love!
Most of us are not sure what that means in modern America, but it sounds freakin' great. Here is one explaination.

THE STORY OF A REAL AMERICAN

Love is a great concept, but it needs definition. For instance, I don't remember when, but at some point I stopped believing in gravity. I simply became convinced that the World just SUCKS. I have been here for over 55 years. Little impresses me. This is it? Obvioulsly, "hope" is important to me and "Love" is important to all of us. What does it mean to love? Love what? Love who? Why? Meet "the REAL American:" Melvin; he knows.

Melvin went to work just out of High School for a trucking company. He was eventually put in charge of "Logistis and Delivery." He saved most of his of money (by being content) and constantly scanned the newspapers for his biggest dream: a good deal on a house in the country. He was 18 years old. At age 26 he bought his dream house in a rural county in Texas. He bought some land and a nice home, with a moderate barn out back. He also paid cash for a used, late model pick-um'up truck. The seller of the truck threw in a 2 axle flat-bed trailer, to seal the deal!

Melvin felt that his life was exactly what America offered: Good rewards for hard and consitent work. He went to work even if he did not feel 100% "well". He pushed through, knowing that his paycheck would reflect his committment to his job. His boss often told him, "I wish I had more people like you!" Melvin was "the" example of a great empoyee.

After 16 years, at Melvin's age of 34 to 35, his company was bought by a larger company and "duplicate positions" were eliminated. Melvin was "let go."  Most people would have been devastated, but not Melvin. He was actually glad that some of the senior people in the company - who he knew had kids in college - were kept on, even if he wasn't. He was the hard working single guy. He'd be OK.

"No big deal," thought Melvin: "I'm the best at what I do, so SOMEBODY will hire me." Melvin was agressive. He went through the entire Yellow Pages in ONE day. No trucking and transportation companies were hiring. He was rejected over, and over, and over, and over, and over and over again. Mel became despondent. He had put off being married until he was prosperous, and now he was needy, and alone.

One day Mel went out determined to do a full day of job interviews. When he  finally headed home at about 6:00 PM, a contingency of his neighbors met him at the crossroads of the highway and his Farm to Market road, and told him that his house and all of its contents had burned! There was NOTHING left in, around, or consiting of his house. All was consumed by the fire. Mel was destitute. Only the barn was spared.

For weeks Mel lived in the small, drafty barn, and constantly dwelled upon the word "destitute." It meant "nothing left." It meant "at the mercy of ..." It meant "Certain Death." Mel eventually decided that he was LARGER than that. He was convinced that "Mel's Life" was intended to change the course of HISTORY, no matter how, or what it all meant.

Mel searced high and low, far and wide for "The" answer. He was surprised at the result.

Mel read the story of Moses, and of God telling Moses to deliver Israel frome Egypt. Moses asked "How?"

God answered: What is in your hand?

Moses took his staff and threw it on the ground and it became a serpent. This event ultimately led to the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.

Mel decided to take an inventory of what he had. In his hand.  What he had left; a truck, a 2-axle trailer and a barn. Oh, yeah; there was also a rain barrel, and Mel had a few dollars in the bank. What to do?

Mel went to a Printer and had some flyers and business cards made: "Mobile Car Washing Service," and pasted them everywhere in the city! He would drive up to 30 miles to wash a car. He was very, very busy and made a lot of money very quickly. He figured he could rebuild his house within 16 months. After 12 months he had an Architect draw up plans for his next "Dream Home," and could almost smell the "new house smell" of his fantasy home.

 He was now in control of his own destiny. What a great feeling! But something happened that put his dream house on hold, temporarily.

One day, he picked up the newspaper and saw that a family's house burned down and both parents had been laid off from their jobs. He approached the husband and asked "Are you willing to work?" The husband said, "I would do anything to make money right now.  I have no job, no pride and no future, and I have a precious wife and several precious kids."

Mel said, "God Has Already Provided For You. You have  a truck, a two-axle trailer and a barrel. Here is a list of people who want their cars washed. There are more dirty cars than any of us can keep up with. You will pay me back as you are able, and promise to help others in the same way."
For many years after, Mel would find fire victims who were also unemployed, and put them in the business of washing cars. Everyone he ever helped did the same, with a few exceptions. He fixed up the barn so that is was more comfortable and less drafty, then he made it larger. He never built his other dream house, but he did find his own precious woman and had three precious children of his own. The barn became nicer with the birth of each child. He is one of the happiest men you will ever meet. He has helped launched more businesses than most banks.

Love IS all we need.