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 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.


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.


5 - 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 cheek. 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.