This is may have been posted before but well worth it!
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
"Fiftycents," 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 andsmiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. 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.
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
"Fiftycents," 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 andsmiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. 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.
