Some
other stuff i have. : )
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FIVE GREAT LESSONS
1 - Most Important Lesson
During
my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop
quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through
the questions, until I read the last one:
"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the
school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had
seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired
and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed
in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before
class ended, one student asked if the last question would
count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said
the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many
people. All are significant. They deserve your attention
and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name
was Dorothy.
2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One
night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was
standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure
a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she
desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to
flag down the next car. A young
white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in
those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety,
helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address
and thanked him. Seven days went by and a
knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant
console color TV was delivered to his home. A special
note was attached. It read:
"Thank
you so much for assisting me on the highway the other
night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also
my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was
able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before
he passed away. God bless you for
helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson
Always
remember those who serve. In the days when an ice cream
sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel
coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass
of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream
sundae?" he asked "Fifty cents," replied
the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his
pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much
is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now
more people were waiting for a table and the waitress
was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents,"
she brusquely replied." The little boy again counted
his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream,"
he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill
on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came
back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There,
placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels
and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae,
because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path
In
ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway.
Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would
remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants
and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many
loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear,
but none did anything about getting the stone out of the
way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables.
Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his
burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the
road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up
his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the
road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many
gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the
gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the
roadway. The peasant learned what many
of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity
to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts
Many
years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital,
I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering
from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery
appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old
brother, who had miraculously
survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies
needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the
situation to her little brother, and asked the little
boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep
breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save
her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed
next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the
color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale
and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked
with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right
away?" Being young, the
little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he
was going to have to give his sister all of his blood
in order to save her. You see, after all, understanding
and attitude, are everything.
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Today
is
