Guest guest Posted October 25, 1999 Report Share Posted October 25, 1999 This came from someone on another list. Thought you'd enjoy it. Joan wrote: > The Stuff of Life > > I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose > husband > unexpectedly died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his > death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students. > As > the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom > windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on > the edge of her desk and sat down there. > > With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, > " Before class is over, I would like to share with all of you a thought > that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important. Each > of > us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of > ourselves ... and none of us knows when this fantastic experience will > end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is God's way > of > telling us that we must make the most out of every single day. " > > Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, " So I would like you all to > make me a promise ... from now on, on your way to school, or on your > way > home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be > something you see -- it could be a scent -- perhaps of freshly baked > bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the > breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the > morning > light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground. > Please, > look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound > trite to some, these things are the " stuff " of life. The little > things > we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for > granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at any time > ... > it can all be taken away. " > > The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed > out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my > way home from school than I had that whole semester. Every once in a > while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she > made > on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that > sometimes > we all overlook. > > Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. > Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way > home > tonight to get a double-dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it > is > not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't > do. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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