Five Great Lessons!

[TB99 0]

I got this in an email and loved it and thought to share it. Sorry it's not that great looking, but it takes too much time to fix up the email editing! Bear with it please It's also kind've long, but once you start it, you don't want to stop!

Quote

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 50's 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
>the
>
> > >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 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 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.
>You
> > >see, after all, understanding and attitude, is everything.

Hope you enjoyed!!

Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

[kmcguffee 0]

Great post. It seems really simple when read but very hard to practice in reality.

"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

[Shark 0]

Yes, nice post.

Quote

You see, after all, understanding and attitude, is everything.

That quote would have been good enough.

[riddler 0]

Most probably did not happen:

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/mrs.nat.king.cole.htm
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/transfus.htm

Good stories, though. In my experience, you can derive just as much hope and/or faith in human nature by paying attention to things that happen around you every day.

[Michele 1]

Hi, Phillip

Dunno about you, but I gotta say it simply doesn't matter if they were "true" or "not true". It's the lesson inherent in the stories which are important. It's not as if someone were "sworn" to tell the truth. It's a great compilation of parables which relate a truism for those who can see which is what's important. And I agree with you, deriving hope and faith and joy in the daily things around us is very important, too...but sometimes we forget to do this, and a post like his reminds us.

TB, thanks for posting this. In this stressed world, and all the angst which comes from living, these are very important things to remind us about. And I, for one, thank you very much for taking the time to remind us of what's good and true.

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[aero04 0]

Yes, I agree. The truthfulness is irrelevant compared to the meaning.

These are really great lessons. If everyone in the world would share these, we would live in a better place.

[Samurai136 0]

most people zI work w/ at the warehouse will drive around every box/ pallet in their way and complaain about it instead of taking a moment to move it and make everything better for the team...

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[smiles 0]

You have a great talent for putting your thoughts to words, Michele!!

thanx TB, I enjoyed this post as the more I read, the more I smiled.
I do feel, react, learn, remember....way better, when information is told like in these simple parables.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

p.s. the boy ordering an plain dish of ice-cream so he could leave a tip is going to be passed on for sure!!

Smiles

[TB99 0]

Yea, I was pretty certain these were just "tales," but as stated before, that wasn't the point
It's good to hear you guys thought the same way about this as I did ... thanks guys

Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!