Five Lessons To Make You Think About The Way You Treat People.
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 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 is 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.
Most importantly.................. "Work like you don't need the money, love
like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's
watching."
THANK YOU Reggie Barnett of Borger, Texas for the lessons........Cecil