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*HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE*
Five lessons to make you think about the way we 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 t! he 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 Obstacles 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 & 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.
But celebrity myths just bug the heck out of me.
