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Important Lesson
#1
During my second month of nursing school, 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.
Important Lesson
#2
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-filled1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxi cab. 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.
Important Lesson
#3
Always remember those who
serve you.
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.
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Important Lesson
#4
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.
Important Lesson
# 5
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 understanding and attitude, after all, is everything.
Have a good day!
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