# 28

"Service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth"--Muhammad Ali. Boxer

I recently received the following e-mail, "A Few Good Lessons".

1. The 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 our school?" I thought this must be a joke. I had noticed this woman several times. She was a tall dark-haired woman in her 50's, but how would I know her name. I handed in my paper leaving the last question blank. Just before the class ended a student asked the professor if the last question would count. "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 never forgot that lesson. By the way, her name way Dorothy.
   
2. 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. "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 studied the coins again. "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.
   
3. 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 move the rock. Some of the kingdoms wealthiest merchants and couriers 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 boulder to the side of the road. After much pushing and prodding, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load, he noticed a purse lying where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating the gold was for the person who moved the boulder from the road. The peasant learned the lesson many of us never understand: "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition."
   
4. Giving when it counts: Many years ago, a young girl suffered from a rare and serious illness. Her only chance seemed to be a transfusion from her 5-year old brother who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the anti-bodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to the little boy, and asked if he would be willing to give blood to save his sister. He hesitated a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I will do it for her if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing the color return 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 misunderstood the doctor. He thought he was going to have to give all his blood to save her.

"Determination and perseverance move the world; thinking that others will do it for you is a sure way to fail." Marva Collins, Educator

Contact Tom at: tomhughes@motivationNmore.com

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