FIVE GREAT LESSONS

Some Important Lessons Life Teaches You...
First Important Lesson ~ Most Important Lesson

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.

Second Important Lesson~

  Picked up 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.

Third Important Lesson ~

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
  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.

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.

  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 understanding and attitude, after all, is
  everything.


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