How We Treat People

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Nishani Haripersadh

@Nishani

Inactive

Posted: 20 years ago

Five lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.

1 - First Important Lesson - 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 questionsuntil 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 womanseveral times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but howwould I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the lastquestion blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if thelast question would count toward our quiz grade."Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meetmany people. All are significant. They deserve your attention andcare, even if all you do is smile and say "hello". I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name wasDorothy.
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 alashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperatelyneeded a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. Ayoung white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in thoseconflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her getassistance and put her into a taxicab.She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address andthanked 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 forassisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched notonly my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Becauseof you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside justbefore he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishlyserving others." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

(This one made me cry!)

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 aglass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?"he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulledis hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, howmuch is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more peoplewere waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient."Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy againcounted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. Thewaitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walkedaway. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down thetable. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickelsand five pennies... You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because hehad 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 hugerock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came byand simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for notkeeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting thestone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Uponapproaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and triedto move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing andstraining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up hisload of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where theboulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a notefrom the King indicating that the gold was for the person whoremoved 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 & seriousdisease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a bloodtransfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculouslysurvived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed tocombat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her littlebrother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give hisblood to his sister.I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath andsaying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusionprogressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we alldid, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grewpale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked witha trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thoughthe was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order tosave her.