FW: A lovely lesson

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> > FW: A lovely lesson

> >

> >

> > > > A lovely lesson.

> > > >

> > > > A little long but worth it.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > One day a teacher asked her students to list the

> > > > names of the other students in the room on two

> > > > sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.

> > > >

> > > > Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they

> > > > could say about each 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 a separate sheet of paper, and

> > > > listed what everyone else had said about that

> > > > individual. On Monday she gave each student his

> > > > or her list.

> > > >

> > > > Before long, the entire class was smiling. " Really? "

> > > > she heard whispered. " I never knew that meant anything

> > > > to anyone! " " I didn't know others liked me so much. "

> > > >

> > > > No one ever mentioned those papers in class again.

> > > > She never knew if they discussed them after class

> > > > or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise

> > > > had accomplished its purpose. The students were

> > > > happy with themselves and one another.

> > > >

> > > > That group of students moved on. Several years

> > > > later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and

> > > > his teacher attended the funeral of that special student.

> > > > She had never seen a serviceman in a military

> > > > coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

> > > >

> > > > The church was packed with his friends. One by one

> > > > those who loved him took 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 up to 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 a luncheon. Mark's mother and father

> > > > were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

> > > > " We want to show you something, " his father said,

> > > > taking a wallet out of his pocket. " They found this on

> > > > Mark when he was killed. We thought you might

> > > > recognize it. "

> > > >

> > > > Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn

> > > > pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been

> > > > taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher

> > > > knew without looking that the papers were the ones on

> > > > which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's

> > > > classmates had said about him.

> > > >

> > > > " Thank you so much for doing that, " Mark's mother

> > > > said. " As you can see, Mark treasured it. " Mark's

> > > > classmates started to gather around us.

> > > >

> > > > Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, " I still

> > > > have my list It's in the top 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 out her wallet and showed her

> > > > worn and frazzled list to the group. I carry this

> > > > with me at all times, " Vicki said without batting an

> > > > eyelash. " 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 him again.

> > > >

> > > > The density of people in society is so thick that

> > > > we forget that life will 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

> > > > special and important.

> > > > Tell them, before it is too late....

> > > >

> > > > As one way of doing so forward this message on.

> > > > If you do not send it, you will have, once again

> > > > passed up the opportunity to do something loving and

> > > > beautiful and continue the trend that gives you problems in

> > > > your relationships.

> > > >

> > > > If you've received this it is because someone

> > > > cares for you and it means there is probably at least

> > > > someone for whom you care. If you're " too busy " to take

> > > > the few minutes that it would take right now to forward

> > > > this message on, would it be the first time you didn't

> > > > do that little thing that would make a difference in your

> > > > relationships?

> > > >

> > > > MAY YOUR DAY BE AS SPECIAL AS YOU ARE!

>

>

VENKATRAMAN]