Good Morning Everyone,
((Chuck)), I had thought that was the case but was not sure so rather than post a falsehood I put unknown. Thanks for telling me as I strive to give credit to it's proper owner.
Every day we try and accomplish the important work we need to get done, job, bill's, etc, so that we can have the time needed for the finer things in life. The sitting back and enjoying the fruits of life or......is it the other way around??
Todays Story:
Important Work
The last to board the plane from Seattle to Dallas were
a woman and three children. "Oh please don't sit next to
me," I thought. "I've got so much work to do." But a moment
later an eleven-year-old girl and her nine-year-old brother
were climbing over me while the woman and a four-year-old
boy sat behind. Almost immediately the older children
started bickering while the child behind intermittently
kicked my seat. Every few minutes the boy would ask his
sister, "Where are we now?" "Shut up!" she'd snap and a new
round of squirming and whining would ensue.
"Kids have no concept of important work," I thought,
quietly resenting my predicament. Then in my mind a voice as
clear as a song simply said, Love them. "These kids are
brats, and I've got important work to do," I countered to
myself. My inner voice simply replied, Love them as if they
were your children.
Having heard the "Where-are-we-now?" question
repeatedly, I turned to the in-flight magazine map, in spite
of my important work.
I explained our flight path, dividing it into quarter-
hour flight increments and estimated when we would land in
Dallas.
Soon they were telling me about their trip to Seattle
to see their father who was in the hospital. As we talked
they asked about flying, navigation, science and grown-ups'
views about life. The time passed quickly and my "important"
work was left undone.
As we were preparing to land, I asked how their father
was doing now. They grew quiet and the boy simply said, "He
died."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, me too. But it's my little brother I'm most
worried about. He's taking it real hard."
I suddenly realized what we'd really been talking about
was the most important work we ever face: living, loving and
growing in spite of heartbreak. When we said good-bye in
Dallas the boy shook my hand and thanked me for being his
"airline teacher." And I thanked him for being mine.
By Dan S. Bagley
Have a great day all !!!!
wb |
