First important lesson - "I know the cleaner"
During my second month in college, the professor gave us a test of popularity. I was a conscientious student and quickly went through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
No doubt it was a joke. I had seen the janitor several times. She was tall, with black hair, and about 50 years old, but how could I know her name? I handed over the sheet, leaving the last question unanswered. Just before the end of the class, a student asked if the last question would be taken into account when assessing the test. "Of course," said the professor. "During your career development, you will meet many people. They are all significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if you just smile at them and say hello.
I never forgot this lesson. I also learned the name of the cleaner. Her name was Dorothy.
Second important lesson - "Stranger in the rain"
It was evening, around 11:30 a.m. An elderly African-American woman was standing on the side of the Alabama main road, trying to withstand the storm. Her car was damaged and she desperately needed transportation. Wet to the bone, the woman decided to stop the first taxi.
A young white man stopped to help her, something unheard of for those conflict-ridden times (the 1960s). The man took her to safety, helped her get help, and took her in a taxi.
She seemed in a hurry, but she wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days passed and there was a knock on the man's door. To his great surprise, a large color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read:
Thank you so much for helping me on the road that night. The rain "wet" not only my clothes but also my spirit. Then it appeared to you. Thanks to you, I was able to get to my dying husband's bed just before he died. God bless you for helping me and for serving others unselfishly.
Sincerely, Ms. Nat King Cole.
Third important lesson - "Remember those who serve"
In those days, when a melba cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered the cafe of a hotel and sat at one of the tables. The waitress brought him a glass of water.
"How much is a melba?" The boy asked.
"50 cents," the waitress replied.
The little boy took his hand out of his pocket and began counting the coins.
"Well, how much does an ordinary bowl of ice cream cost?" The boy asked.
At that time, there were many people in the cafe waiting for a table and the waitress began to get impatient.
"35 cents," she replied roughly.
The boy counted his coins again.
"I'm going to want a simple bowl of ice cream," it said.
The waitress brought him the ice cream, put the bill on the table, and left. The child ate the ice cream, paid the bill and left.
When the waitress returned to clean the table, she cried. There, next to the empty bowl, two nickel coins and five pennies were diligently placed.
You see, the boy couldn't order a melba because he had to have enough money left to tip her.
Fourth important lesson - "Obstacles on our way"
In antiquity, a king placed a large stone on the road. He then hid and watched to see if anyone would displace him. Wealthy merchants, as well as the king's courtiers, passed by and simply went around the stone. Many people loudly accused the king of not keeping the roads clean, but no one did anything to remove the obstacle from the road.
One day a peasant appeared who was loaded with vegetables. When he reached the stone, he left his load and tried to move the stone away from the road. After much effort, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load, he noticed a purse standing in the way of the stone. There were many gold coins in the purse and a note from the king stating that this gold was for the man who had removed the large stone from the road.
The peasant has learned what many of us will never understand - "Every obstacle gives us the opportunity to improve our well-being."
Fifth important lesson - "Give when it matters"
Many years ago, when I was volunteering in a hospital, I met a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a very rare and serious illness. To heal, he had to have a blood transfusion from his 5-year-old brother. The boy had miraculously survived the same disease and had already developed antibodies in his body. The doctors explained the situation to the brother and asked him if he would agree to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for a moment, then took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I will, if that saves her."
During the overflow, the boy lay on the bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, watching the color of her cheeks return. Suddenly his face turned pale and his smile faded. The boy looked at the doctors and asked them in a trembling voice, "Am I going to start dying now?"
Since he was small, the child had misunderstood that he would have to give all his blood to save his sister.
Source: manager.bg