Lessons of Life

A forum dedicated to the creative expressions, inspirations, hopes and dreams of fellow Karateka.
Post Reply
User avatar
Jackie Olsen
Posts: 619
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 1998 6:01 am
Contact:

Lessons of Life

Post by Jackie Olsen »

Sensei Mattson,

Thank you for sharing a gentle reminder of life's lessons. We all have our burdens to carry. Sometimes we think we're all alone, when really we're all related by our experiences.

Regards, Jackie
User avatar
gmattson
Site Admin
Posts: 6068
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Lake Mary, Florida
Contact:

Lessons of Life

Post by gmattson »

Thought you might enjoy this email, sent to me by a friend. GEM

The Important Things Life Teaches You...
~ 1 ~ Most Important Question

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 know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. 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 ~ Pickup 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 taxi cab. She
seemed to be in a big hurry! She wrote down his address, thanked him and drove away..

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 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 ~ 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?"

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it.

"How much is a dish of plain ice cream?" he inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient.

"Thirty-five cents," she said brusquely. The little boy again counted the 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 departed. When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - her tip.

~ 4 ~ 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 big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On 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. As 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 others never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.

~ 5 ~ Giving Blood

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford 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 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 Liz."

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 boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood.
david
Posts: 2077
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Boston, MA

Lessons of Life

Post by david »

George,

Very nice stories all... Image The last one made into the Buddhist Parent Handbook. It always brings a tear and more. All of these balance out the horrible stuff we read or hear about on a daily basis. We feel we can make it through and that somehow things will be alright.

david
Rick Wilson

Lessons of Life

Post by Rick Wilson »

Saved under "inspiration".

Thanks,

Rick
Jason Bernard
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Evansville, IN, USA
Contact:

Lessons of Life

Post by Jason Bernard »

The stories are appreciated very much, Sensei. I will be sure they are shared.

Osu!
Jason
Post Reply

Return to “Creative Heart & Soul Forum”