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on 2/18/02 6:15 PM, Cynthia McDowell at [log in to unmask] wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > Subject: Momentary Lapse into Reason > > >> Hi, all -- I think this is a good idea for any age child in regular school >> or Sunday School to teach children that we all have valuable and wonderful >> traits. > Cynthia >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> 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 I meant anything to anyone!" >>>>> and, "I didn't know others liked me so much," were most of >>>>> the comments. >>>>> 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." >>>>> All of Mark's former class mates started to gather around. >>>>> 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 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 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... AND ONE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH IS: Forward >>>>> this message on. If you do not send it, you will have, >>>>> once again passed up the wonderful opportunity to >>>>> do something nice and beautiful. >>>>> 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 those few minutes right >>>>> now to forward this message on, would this be >>>>> the VERY first time you didn't do that little thing that >>>>> would make a difference in your relationships? >>>>> The more people that you send this to, the better you'll >>>>> be at reaching out to those you care about. >>>>> >>>>> Remember, you reap what you sow, what you put >>>>> into the lives of others comes back into your own. >>>>> MAY YOUR DAY BE AS SPECIAL AS YOU ARE. >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> > >