Too Busy for a Friend...
One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the otherstudents in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space betweeneach name.Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say abouteach of their classmates and write it down.It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment,and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on aseparate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said aboutthat individual.On Monday she gave each student his or her list.she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!"and, "I didn't know others liked me so much," were most of thecomments.No one ever mentioned those papers in class again.She never knew if they discussed them after class or with theirparents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished itspurpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. Thatgroup of students moved on.Several years later, one of the students was killed inVietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student.She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He lookedso handsome, so mature.The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved himtook a last walk by the coffin.The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came upto her. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. She nodded: "yes."Then he said:"Mark talked about you a lot."After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to aluncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting tospeak with his teacher."We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet outof his pocket "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thoughtyou might recognize it."Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebookThe teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on whichshe had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had saidabout him."Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you cansee, Mark treasured it."All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charliesmiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in thetop drawer of my desk at home."Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.""I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary."Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took outher wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carrythis with me at all times," Vicki said and without batting an eyelash,she continued: "I think we all saved our lists.That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried.She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see himagain.The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that lifewill end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be.So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are specialand important. Tell them, before it is too late.Remember, you reap what you sow. What you put into the lives of otherscomes back into your own.
May Your Day Be Blessed
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