Call me a grouch, call me a purist, but I DO prefer to keep Conch-L on
subject, without the private mail, the thank-yous and the I-agrees. We've
lost some of our best due to the burden of off-subject and oversized
contributions.
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> From: shelloak <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: To brighten your day
> Date: Friday, May 08, 1998 11:43 PM
>
> ----------
> > From: Stewart Jones <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: To brighten your day
> > Date: Friday, May 08, 1998 9:04 PM
> >
> > Hope this message might brighten your day.  Something I picked up on
the
> > internet.  For those purists who believe that CONCH-L mail should be
> limited
> > to shells and nothing but shells, please consider that this is intended
> to
> > warm the cockles (cardium robustum) of your heart.
> > sj
> >
> >
> > >Most Important Question ~
> > >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. 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 have
> never
> > >forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
> > >=====================================
> > >Pickup in the Rain ~
> > >One night, at 11:30 P.M., an older African-American woman was standing
> on
> > the side of a 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!   She wrote down his address, thanked
him
> and
> > drove away. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door.  To
> his
> > surprise, they delivered a giant combination console color TV and
stereo
> > record player to his home.  A special note was attached.  The note
read:
> > >Dear Mr. James:  Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the
> > other   night. The rain drenched not only my clothes but 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.
> > >
> > >==========================================
> > >Two Nickels and Five Pennies  ~
> > >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? Fifty cents,
> > replied the
> > >waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied
a
> > >number of  coins in it.   How much is a dish of plain ice cream?
> > >he   inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table and the
waitress
> > was a bit impatient. Thirty-five cents,  she said brusquely. The little
> boy
> > again
> > >counted the 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 departed.    When
the
> > >waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then
swallowed
> > hard at what she saw.  There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were
> two
> > >nickels and five pennies - her tip.
> > >
> > >==========================================
> > >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 big stone out of the way. Then a
> peasant
> > came along carrying a load of vegetables.  On 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. As
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  others
> never
> > understand.  Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's
> condition.