leostartingover Forum Posts

Nov 17, 2010

RE: Tell a lie about the person above you #3

He flashes to unsuspecting women from his dining room window!

OPNov 17, 2010

A story about appreciation

I received this email today and think it has a good message. It has been translated from a Chinese story, so excuse the English!!!

A young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.He passed the 1st interview, and was in the final interview. The director learned from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent. He asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none". He then asked, "Did your father pay for your schoolfees?" The youth answered, "My father died when I was one year old - it was my mother who paid my school fees." The director asked, "Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "She worked as a clothes cleaner." The director asked the youth to show his hands, which were smooth and perfect.

The director asked,"Did you ever help your mother wash the clothes?" The youth answered, "Never,my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Also, she can wash clothes faster than me." The director said, "I have a request. When you go home today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me in the morning." The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went home, he asked his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, but she gave him her hands. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell as he noticed for the first time how wrinkled and bruised his mother's hands were. Some bruises were so painful that his mother winced as her hands were cleaned.

The youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed clothes everyday to enable him to pay his school fees. The bruises on his mother's hands were the price his mother had paid for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, they talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?" The youth answered with tears in his eyes, "I cleaned my mother's hands, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes". Firstly, I know now what appreciation is. Without my mother, I would not be the success I am today. Secondly, by helping my mother, only now do I realize how difficult it is to wash clothes. Lastly, I have come to appreciate the value of family."

The Director said, "This is what I am looking for in my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired." The youth worked very hard, and was respected by his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved dramatically.

A child who has been protected and always given what he wants is likely to develop "entitlement mentality" and always put himself first. He is unlikely to appreciate his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he'd assume that everyone should listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he wouldn't care about his employees and would always blame others. This kind of person, even if good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel a sense of achievement. He will be ungrateful and always want more. If we are this kind of protective parent, are we really showing love or are we harming our child instead? Your child may live in a big house, eat a good meal, watch a big screen TV, but when you are cutting grass, let them help you. After a meal, let them wash the dishes. Not because you don't have money for a maid, but because you want them to appreciate effort, experience difficulty and learn the ability to work with others to get things done.

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