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The Wise Woman's Stone
Author Unknown
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another
traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone
and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He
knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to
the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me
something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."
Author Unknown
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another
traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone
and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He
knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to
the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me
something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."
A Dollar Coin
Author Unknown
There is a story that during the Second World War, a young soldier saved a woman from suicide by pulling her out of the
water. Instead of thanking him, the woman cursed the young soldier. After some patient inquiry, the woman then told him
her tragic life story. As it turned out, her husband was framed and was sent to prison for something he did not do. She was
left alone and penniless to tend to her husband’s sick parents and the three young children. To buy medication for her sick
mother, she pawned all her possessions for a silver dollar. When it rains, it pours—she was taken in by the pawn shop
owner with a fake coin. She had no way out but to die. The young soldier felt very sympathetic and said to her.
"What a tragic story. I have a silver dollar here; please take this to take care of your family. Please give me the fake silver
coin so that others will not fall into the same plight."
Putting away the fake coin into his pocket, the young soldier hurried on to report to duty. In a fierce battle, he was struck in
the chest. The bullet hit and left a dent on the fake coin, and he was spared. The young soldier clapped his hands and
exclaimed,
"Well worth it! This coin is worth a million."
With a thought of compassion, a dollar coin saved the woman and her family. It also extended the young soldier’s life.
Author Unknown
There is a story that during the Second World War, a young soldier saved a woman from suicide by pulling her out of the
water. Instead of thanking him, the woman cursed the young soldier. After some patient inquiry, the woman then told him
her tragic life story. As it turned out, her husband was framed and was sent to prison for something he did not do. She was
left alone and penniless to tend to her husband’s sick parents and the three young children. To buy medication for her sick
mother, she pawned all her possessions for a silver dollar. When it rains, it pours—she was taken in by the pawn shop
owner with a fake coin. She had no way out but to die. The young soldier felt very sympathetic and said to her.
"What a tragic story. I have a silver dollar here; please take this to take care of your family. Please give me the fake silver
coin so that others will not fall into the same plight."
Putting away the fake coin into his pocket, the young soldier hurried on to report to duty. In a fierce battle, he was struck in
the chest. The bullet hit and left a dent on the fake coin, and he was spared. The young soldier clapped his hands and
exclaimed,
"Well worth it! This coin is worth a million."
With a thought of compassion, a dollar coin saved the woman and her family. It also extended the young soldier’s life.
Hospital Windows
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each
afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his
roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model
boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape,
and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes
and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band
- he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks
passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window,
who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon
as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the
switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have
the joy of seeing it for himself.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what
could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse
responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each
afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his
roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model
boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape,
and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes
and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band
- he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks
passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window,
who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon
as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the
switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have
the joy of seeing it for himself.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what
could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse
responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
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Author: Unknown
- (A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "Hi"
(D)oesn't give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust wants to "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever judges
(O)ffers support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains things you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen, and
(Z)aps you back to reality
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