FIVE GREAT LESSONS

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 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.