by Jim Stovall
During dinner that night, we talked about all the special things we wanted to do the following day.
We were up early in the morning. We had a special breakfast and walked, talked, and enjoyed a show in the company of some special friends. That night, we watched the sunset together, as it is Marie’s favorite time of the day.
As the special day drew to a close, we were both struck by the fact that—although the day had, indeed, been a gift—all of the things we did could have been done on most any other day. I knew the rest of our lives would be different because the rest of our days would be different.
Thirty days came and went, and Jason Stevens was back in my courtroom in the witness box. Hamilton asked him to explain how he had passed on The Gift of a Day.
Jason said, “I thought about the people that might benefit most from The Gift of a Day, and I realized it would be people who didn’t have many days left.
“There is a place called The Crossroads Center run by a wonderful family. They help hospice patients experience one special day. I decided to help them with their work so more people could experience The Gift of a Day.”
Jason organized his thoughts and went on. “There was a one-hundred-year-old man who wanted to ride a motorcycle. We got him in a sidecar with a helmet and goggles and toured him around the countryside. He had an amazing experience, and his picture riding in the sidecar made it into the newspapers. I think a lot of other people will begin thinking about each day as a gift.
“Then there was a terminal cancer patient who had never seen the ocean. I helped make arrangements for her to travel to the shore. She strolled up and down the beach and just looked out at the vast ocean.
“There was a person with just a few days left to live who wanted to meet a well-known singer and entertainer. I got in contact with the record company, and they made arrangements for the patient to sit on the front row at a concert and go back stage afterward to have dinner with the star.
“And, finally, I asked the Crossroads people to work with me on teaching The Gift of a Day to people who have not been diagnosed with a terminal condition. Once a week, they do a seminar on The Gift of a Day. They will be teaching it next week at the Saturday School. I think this is important for everyone.”
“I do, too,” Hamilton agreed and passed it on to me to tell Dudly to ask his questions.
“Mr. Stevens, if I understand your story, you didn’t really help these people directly. You worked with an existing organization.”
“Yes, sir,” Jason stated.
“So what did you do on your own to help other people understand The Gift of a Day that your grandfather gave you?”
Jason was flustered. “I didn’t do anything on my own. Just like I didn’t build the park on my own. I believe my grandfather would say that The Gift of a Day is too big to pass along all by yourself, so I got some help.”
Dudly asked doubtfully, “So, do you believe you have passed on The Gift of a Day, and are you convinced you have an understanding of it yourself?”
Jason chuckled and said, “About all I can say is I understand enough for today, but I’m still learning because, if I’m lucky, tomorrow will be another day.”
Dudly knew he was beaten on this hurdle, and he retreated—hoping for better results later.
“Let the record show that Jason Stevens is deemed to understand and to have passed on The Gift of a Day. This court stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow when we will conduct a hearing on the final element—The Gift of Love.”
The ultimate life is locked away inside each of us.
Love is the key.
Fourteen
THE LIFE OF LOVE
The TV networks were carrying around-the-clock coverage of the final stages of the Red Stevens case. As I was flipping through the channels, I noticed a panel of law school professors debating the issues. It got very heated, and the only thing all of the legal scholars agreed upon was the fact that this case was like a twelve-round heavyweight championship fight. You could lose eleven rounds in a row and score a knockout punch in the twelfth and walk away with the prize.
I couldn’t help but feel the gravity of what hung in the balance, dependent upon my decision. Either the entire Stevens family would lose the millions of their inheritance, or Jason would lose the control of billions that Red Stevens had set aside in trust to do good work. There just didn’t seem to be any middle ground.
I spent a lot of time seeking the wisdom to find some sort of compromise, but when it was all boiled down, it seemed there was no way out other than the fact that there would be a winner and a loser. I couldn’t believe that this was what Red Stevens would have wanted.
I stared at the clock in my chambers. Time seemed to stand still; but, finally, it was 10:00. I slipped on my judicial robes, paused for a brief moment of silence and reflection, and then went through the mahogany door.
As I climbed up to the bench, I could feel the tension in the room. I had never been in a situation where, financially, there was this much at stake. I wasn’t sure if any other judge had either.
I settled into my chair and wondered what the results would be when I once again stood up from my seat. I pounded my gavel and declared, “Ladies and gentlemen, this court is now in session. It has been a long road for all of us to get to this final matter in the Red Stevens’ Last Will and Testament Case.
“I want to thank the attorneys involved for working professionally and tenaciously to represent their various clients. I, also, want to thank my courtroom family, Jim and Paul, who ably serve this court as bailiffs, and Scott, who I believe to be the best court reporter in the business. Finally, I want to thank my mentor and friend Judge Eldridge who presided over this courtroom for many years. He gave me a priceless example and some enormous shoes to fill. I do my best each day, as I will today, to live up to the standard he set.
“All of us here today know what is at stake. Indeed, thanks to our media friends both here in the courtroom and elsewhere, everyone around the world knows what is at stake. I would still caution everyone that this is an official and legal court proceeding. I will hold each person involved to the standard of respect and order this matter deserves.
“First I will call on Mr. Theodore J. Hamilton of Hamilton, Hamilton, and Hamilton to make his case.”
I locked eyes with Hamilton and said, “Sir, it is, indeed, a privilege to have you in our courtroom and in our profession.”
Hamilton nodded and said in acknowledgment, “Your Honor, I want to thank you and everyone involved in this case for giving my client nothing more or less than an opportunity to plead his case and have it judged fairly.”
Hamilton paused, shuffled a few papers arrayed on the table before him, and intoned, “Your Honor, once again we call Jason Stevens to the stand to give testimony in this matter.”
Hamilton strode toward Jason seated in the witness box and asked, “Mr. Stevens, in the final month of the yearlong quest that your grandfather bequeathed to you in his will, did you have occasion to learn about The Gift of Love?”
Jason nodded solemnly, replying, “Yes, sir, I did.”
“And did you then have the opportunity to undertake a task that would help you experience The Gift of Love for yourself?”
Once again, Jason acknowledged, “Yes, sir.”
Hamilton walked back to the counsel table and stood next to his chair. He said, “Jason, can you share that experience with this court today?”
Hamilton sat down as Jason began.
“My grandfather taught me that you can’t have love in one area of your life without having love in all areas of your life. So, for The Gift of Love, I was asked to consider for the month each of the gifts I had been given and how love played an integral part in each of them.”
Hamilton inquired, �
�And Jason, were you able to complete that task successfully?”
“Yes, sir, I was,” Jason responded.
Hamilton prompted, “Jason, would you share briefly how The Gift of Love played out in each gift you received from your grandfather?”
Jason thought for a minute and said, “Well, in The Gift of Work, I learned that Gus Caldwell and my grandfather had a true respect and love for one another, and I learned how important it is to love your work. In The Gift of Money, I learned that to love money is a dead-end path; but if you love people and use money, you can truly make a difference. In The Gift of Friends, I learned that in order to have a friend you’ve got to be a friend. You must be willing to give love before you demand to receive it. In The Gift of Learning, I found out that the love of learning is a lifelong pursuit. It simply never ends. In The Gift of Problems, I learned that—while the circumstance may be difficult or even seem impossible—when you love yourself and those around you and focus on the things you have been given, a problem viewed through love is an opportunity. In The Gift of Family, I discovered the difference between what we like and what we love. We don’t always like our family, but we can always love them through every problem and circumstance.
“In The Gift of Laughter, I learned that hatred disappears when you laugh, and then love can find its way into every situation. In The Gift of Dreams, I discovered that we each have passions and destinies inside of us. Love can unlock the potential that we have on the inside. In The Gift of Giving, I found out that we should always love everyone enough to be a giver, and love is the one thing that the more you give, the more you have. It is an inexhaustible fountain. In The Gift of Gratitude, I learned that we have received many blessings in our lives, and the only way we can show true love is to be grateful for what we’ve been given. In The Gift of a Day, I learned that it is impossible to love life unless you love today. If we fill each day with love, we will always have enough of everything.”
I couldn’t believe that, with so many people in my courtroom, there was a total prolonged, absolute silence.
Eventually, Theodore J. Hamilton rose and declared, “Your Honor, I shall not diminish the power of what we have heard by going on any farther. We rest our case with respect to this matter.”
I nodded to Mr. Hamilton then swung my gaze to L. Myron Dudly. I stated, “Sir, you now have the floor in this proceeding.”
Dudly sat motionless for an uncomfortable length of time. I wondered if he had heard me call on him, but eventually he stood and inevitably made his way toward the witness box like a man walking his last mile. As I look back on it, I will have to admit that Dudly actually did an admirable job against formidable odds.
He cleared his throat, nodded to me, and leapt in. “Mr. Stevens, as this is your grandfather’s last will and testament that is being argued and contested before this court, let’s examine your relationship with him as it relates to The Gift of Love.”
Dudly paced back and forth gaining confidence and momentum. “Mr. Stevens, would you say before this court that you loved your grandfather for the years of your life that he was with you?”
Jason sighed deeply, leaned forward in his chair, and explained, “I didn’t know how to love anybody, including myself, until I got The Gift of Love from my grandfather, so I would have to say honestly I did not love my grandfather while he was alive.”
Dudly sensed a glimmer of hope. It seemed to be somehow communicated to the Stevens family as they appeared immediately hopeful.
Mr. Dudly pounded the rail in front of Jason and thundered, “Young man, if that be the case as you have testified under oath, how in the name of all we hold to be legal, fair, and just can you say that you loved your grandfather as outlined in his Gift of Love and that you are entitled to this inheritance?”
Dudly glared at Jason, anticipating victory.
Eventually, Jason spoke. “Mr. Dudly, I will admit I did not love my grandfather when he was alive, nor did I in any way deserve the love he had for me; but somehow through his death and The Ultimate Gift he left to me, I learned to love him and everyone around me. None of us can ever deserve love. We can just treasure it and give it away.”
Dudly was shaken but was still hoping for a long shot. He addressed me.
“Your Honor, we have no further questions for this individual. As he has already admitted in his sworn testimony that he never loved his grandfather during all the years of his grandfather’s life, we can do nothing other than ask this court to make a swift and certain ruling on behalf of my clients and restore to them their rightful inheritance.”
Dudly slid into his seat behind the counsel table. Several of his Dudly, Cheetham, and Leech colleagues patted him on the back and flashed him the victory sign. The Stevens clan collectively leaned forward in their seats with anticipation.
I was torn as I weighed the issues before me. Love is impossible to define, so it defies judgment.
I pounded my gavel and stated, “This court will take our noon recess and reconvene at 2:00 p.m.”
I fled through the mahogany door into my chambers. I spoke aloud to the DVD marked The Gift of Love I held in my hand, saying, “Red, if you ever had anything profound to say on the subject, there’s an old judge here that would really appreciate it.”
I slid the final DVD into the player and welcomed Red Stevens to my chambers for the final time.
“Jason, in this last month, I’m going to introduce you to the one part of my Ultimate Gift that encompasses all of the other gifts as well as everything good you will ever do, have, or know in your life. That is The Gift of Love.
“Anything good, honorable, and desirable in life is based on love. Anything bad or evil is simply life without the love involved. Love is a misused and overused term in our society. It is applied to any number of frivolous things and pursuits; but the love I am talking about in The Gift of Love is the goodness that comes only from God. Not everyone believes or acknowledges that. And that’s okay. I still know that real love comes from him—whether or not we know it.
“Jason, we’ve come a long way in this Ultimate Gift. I want you to know, above all, that in spite of all the mistakes I made and the many times I failed you, Jason Stevens, that your grandfather loved you.”
I spoke aloud to Red Stevens on the screen. “Thank you for your help.”
I hoped that somehow he knew that I would do the very best I could for his whole family.
At 2:00 sharp, I heard a brief rap on my mahogany door. It opened enough for Scott, my court reporter, to stick his head in and say, “Your Honor, they’ve all been sitting and waiting for almost a half hour. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Back in the courtroom, I prepared to deliver—if not the most important—what I knew would become the most famous judgment of my life. I tapped my gavel, but it was wholly unnecessary as the court was in order, and every eye was focused on me.
“It is the considered decision of this court that Jason Stevens did not love his grandfather at any point during Red Stevens’ life. Only after his death was Red Stevens able to teach The Gift of Love to Jason, therefore making it possible for Jason Stevens to love his grandfather. Although this arrangement is highly unconventional and completely undesirable, it does meet both the letter and the intent of the last will and testament of Howard ‘Red’ Stevens.”
It was at that point I did have to pound my gavel repeatedly for order. Shouts of protest and anger could be heard from the Stevens family. My bailiffs, Jim and Paul, materialized at the front of the courtroom, and I felt glad for their presence.
I produced an ominous stare that I leveled at those assembled in my courtroom and spoke.
“Let me be absolutely clear that we will have order in this court, or these gentlemen before you will clear this courtroom, and a few of you may have the opportunity to experience the hospitality of our official house of
detention next door.”
I let my words settle over everyone and concluded, “This court will stand adjourned for thirty days, during which time Jason Stevens will be given an opportunity to demonstrate that he has the ability and aptitude to pass along The Gift of Love he received from Howard ‘Red’ Stevens through The Ultimate Gift.”
Although we had finished for that day in the courtroom, the matter was far from settled.
A life lived well is The Ultimate Gift.
Fifteen
THE ULTIMATE LIFE
I would not have believed it possible, but the media intensity increased, the tension and anxiety built, and it was hard for me or anyone else in the court building to get anything done that whole month.
Finally, it was the last day. For better or worse, it would all be finished this day. I was still searching my heart, my mind, and my soul for that elusive middle ground or some way to pull off one of Judge Eldridge’s famous win/win decisions.
I pounded my gavel and called the court to order, and then it happened. The legend himself, Theodore J. Hamilton, rose and beckoned, “Your Honor, may it please the court, I have a written motion to present that has direct bearing on these proceedings.”
Mr. Hamilton walked toward me holding out one single sheet of paper. L. Myron Dudly jumped to his feet and cried, “Your Honor, we object to any motions being made or heard by the court without said motion being reviewed by counsel for my clients.”
Hamilton paused in mid-stride, lowered the single sheet he held in his hand, and said, “Your Honor, I beg the court’s indulgence in this matter, but I will stake my entire reputation as a jurist and practitioner of the law. If Your Honor will merely review this brief document, I believe it will all become clear.”