Five Lessons About How To Treat People — Author Unknown
1. First Important Lesson - “Know The 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 - “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. “50¢,” 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. “35¢!” 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 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 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.
First Month at college brings confusion!
There is always a thousand things on my mind.. people normally tell me im freaking out.. im not.. i just think alot…So, im kinda sick of all these papers and essays… I miss music… I dont like theatre here as much as i thought i would… i think im changing majors… Middle Grade Math and Social Studies.. or.. Elementary Education with a focus on theatre.. i love theatre.. well can I say I like watching good theatre and i like acting… i dont know how much I like directing… i love teaching.. i love middle school aged kids.. but i dont know how well i could teach math.. but you never know ti you try, and then with elementary school… they are cute, and love you, and want to be a school… but they pee all over themselves and want mommy.. haha some many decisions in life. I do believe i want to minor in Spanish. I might take a trip to uganda.. I need 4000 dollars for it though.. but its with a legit professors who is awesome.. so now im writing a paper about chinese food.. it makes me want chinese food.. i miss music… i want band back in my life.. idk if i want band in general or SP band.. i kind of miss highschool actually.. i miss knowing people.. i miss people knowing me.. i miss belmont… i miss my family.. i miss my friends.. i miss Bi-Lo… dont get me wrong i love boone.. i love football games.. i love the school.. the atmosphere.. its just not belmont.. I miss it.. but this is my new home for the time being.. i just want to experience the world.. i want to travel.. so now you see what kind of confusion this has brought me into.. but im not freaking out.. just thinking.. some people misconstrue my ramble-like thought process to be a freak out.. but its not.. i am doing ASU Basketball band in the spring semester.. and i am quiet certain that i am marching in the fall. I have been told people in band here hate it.. but i want to form my own opinion.. i want to represent ASU somehow.. and i miss my horn, i miss playing.. i miss that being what i do.. so im bringing the band dru back.. im going to be playing again.. now i just need to practice. well i am going to have to finish writing this paper that people have been done with for weeks… but good ol’ dru doing it the morning of..
“To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.”-Aaron Copland
