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Enron Mail |
There's always time for jokes... and this message doesn't have a joke...
< <<< < < < <<< < < < So, take your time... and read this NICE message 'cause one <way or < <<< < < the < <<< < < < other... < <<< < < < "IT COULD BE YOU, OR IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!" < <<< < < < < <<< < < < < 1 - Most Important Lesson < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < During my second month of nursing school, our < <<< < < < < < professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious < <<< < < < < < student and had breezed through the questions,until 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 woman several times. She was tall, < <<< < < < < < dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her < <<< < < < < < name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last < <<< < < < < < question blank. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < Just before class ended, one student asked if the last < <<< < < < < < question would count toward our quiz grade. < <<< < < < < < "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, < <<< < < < < < you will meet many people. All are significant. They < <<< < < < < < deserve your attention and care, even if all you do < <<< < < < < < is smile and say 'hello'." < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < "I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her < <<< < < < < < name was Dorothy. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < 2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American < <<< < < < < < woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway < <<< < < < < < trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had < <<< < < < < < broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking < <<< < < < < < wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young < <<< < < < < < white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in < <<< < < < < < those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to < <<< < < < < < safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a < <<< < < < < < taxi cab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote < <<< < < < < < down his address and thanked 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 for assisting me on the < <<< < < < < < highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my < <<< < < < < < clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. < <<< < < < < < Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying < <<< < < < < < husband's bedside just before he passed away. God < <<< < < < < < bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving < <<< < < < < < others." < <<< < < < < < Sincerely, < <<< < < < < < Mrs. Nat King Cole. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < 3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those < <<< < < < < < who serve < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < 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 a glass of water in front of < <<< < < < < < him. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and < <<< < < < < < studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain < <<< < < < < < dish of ice cream?" he inquired. < <<< < < < < < By now more people were waiting for a table and the < <<< < < < < < waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," < <<< < < < < < she brusquely replied." < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have < <<< < < < < < the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought < <<< < < < < < the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked < <<< < < < < < away. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and < <<< < < < < < left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as < <<< < < < < < she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside < <<< < < < < < the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - < <<< < < < < < You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had < <<< < < < < < 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 huge rock. Some of the king's < <<< < < < < < wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply < <<< < < < < < walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not < <<< < < < < < keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about < <<< < < < < < getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came < <<< < < < < < along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching < <<< < < < < < the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and < <<< < < < < < tried to move the stone to the side of the road. < <<< < < < < < After much pushing and straining, he finally < <<< < < < < < succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of < <<< < < < < < vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road < <<< < < < < < where the boulder had been. The purse contained many < <<< < < < < < gold coins and a note from the king indicating that < <<< < < < < < the gold was for the person who removed 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 and serious disease. Her < <<< < < < < < only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood < <<< < < < < < transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had < <<< < < < < < miraculously survived the same disease and had < <<< < < < < < developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. < <<< < < < < < The doctor explained the situation to her little < <<< < < < < < brother, and asked the little boy if he would be < <<< < < < < < willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him < <<< < < < < < hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath < <<< < < < < < and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her." < <<< < < < < < As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to < <<< < < < < < his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the < <<< < < < < < color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew < <<< < < < < < pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor < <<< < < < < < and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to < <<< < < < < < die right away?" < <<< < < < < < Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the < <<< < < < < < doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his < <<< < < < < < sister all of his blood in order to save her. You see, < <<< < < < < < after all, understanding and attitude, are everything. < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < Now you have 2 choices.... < <<< < < < < < < <<< < < < < < 1. Delete this email, or 2. Forward it to people you < <<< < < < < < care about. I hope that you will choose No. 2 and < <<< < < < < < remember..... "Work like you don't need the money, < <<< < < < < < love like you've never been hurt and dance like you do < <<< < < < < < when nobody's watching."
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