I think Brett would have liked this.


>From: "Pearl Fernane" <pearlyshellz@...>
>Reply-To: "Pearl Fernane" <pearlyshellz@ cox.net>
>To: "Joy Morris" <joymomgram@...>
>Subject: Fw: Too busy
>Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 11:57:38 -0800
>
>Message
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Jackie Ellis
>To: 'Becca' ; 'Carol' ; 'Ellis, Betty' ; 'Gina' ; 'Mary' ; 'Michelle' ;
>'Pat & Sharon' ; 'Paul' ; 'Pearlyshellz' ; 'Susan'
>Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 11:12 AM
>Subject: FW: Too busy
>
>
>
>
>
>
>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 Viet Nam 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 classmates 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 This 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
>

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