There's always time for jokes... and this message doesn't have a joke...
> >>> > >
> >>> > > > So, take your time... and read this NICE message 'cause one
>way or
> >>> > > the
> >>> > > > other...
> >>> > > > "IT COULD BE YOU, OR IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!"
> >>> > > >
> >>> > > > > 1 - Most Important Lesson
> >>> > > > > >
> >>> > > > > > 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 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 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, 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 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. You see,
> >>> > > > > > after all, understanding and attitude, are everything.
> >>> > > > > >
> >>> > > > > > Now you have 2 choices....
> >>> > > > > >
> >>> > > > > > 1. Delete this email, or 2. Forward it to people you
> >>> > > > > > care about. I hope that you will choose No. 2 and
> >>> > > > > > remember..... "Work like you don't need the money,
> >>> > > > > > love like you've never been hurt and dance like you do
> >>> > > > > > when nobody's watching."