1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
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 p.m., an older African American woman
was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure
a lashing rainstorm. 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 MN 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 needed 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 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.
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