Tales from the Heart
Being from Arkansas, I see quite a few of these “homilies” show up on my Facebook wall from old friends and family. This one is a doozy:
An 11 year old girl asks her father, “Dad, what are you gonna get me for my 15th birthday?” The father replied, “Daughter, there’s much time left.” When the girl was 14 she fainted and was rushed to the hospital. The doctor came out and told the father she had a bad heart. When she’s laying in the hospital bed she asks her father, “Daddy.. Have they told you I’m going to die?” The father weeping, ……………leaves. The girl is recovering. She reaches 15 and gets to come home. On her bed is a letter from her father. The letter said, “My Dearest Daughter, if you’re reading this it’s because all went well as I was told. One day you asked me what I was gonna give you on your 15th birthday and I didn’t have an answer but today I present MY HEART.” Her father donated his heart. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ♥” If you believe that God gave his only son to die for you post this as your status. Remember, the bible says, “Deny me in front of your friends and I will deny you in front of my father.” ♥
Putting aside the religious content, let’s examine this story closely:
1) This takes me back to my birthday in 1991. I asked my mom what she was going to get me and she slipped up and accidentally told me I was getting a bike. Luckily, I already knew that, as she had already told me when I asked her the same question four years earlier in 1987. I meant my birthday in 1995. Luckily, that gift remained unspoiled (and, thankfully, was not a human heart).
2) This is obviously a broken family. Or a case of terrible hospital etiquette. First off, this poor dying adolescent was obviously advised of her condition without her parents present. Or her father had something better to do. Secondly, no one in her family thought to mention, pre or post-op, that her father was, um, dead?! Or that she would unwittingly be carrying his sacrificed heart inside of her forever?! And she finds out when she gets home?! Via A NOTE?! That ends with “HAPPY BIRTHDAY?!” Jesus Christ, that’s like something out of a horror movie! What kind of parenting is this?!
3) I love that the writer insisted on underlining what happened for those who might have gotten lost in this intricate tale: “….today I present MY HEART.’ Her father donated his heart.” Brilliant.
4) Not to harp on the religion thing, but you’re asking me to repost a story about a father sacrificing his life for his child in order to promote the narrative of a child who sacrificed his life and went back to be with his father. Naturally, with the implied tag that if I don’t, I will be damned straight to Hell. Hmmm…
