This Thanksgiving week
I plan to share some stories, a few of my favorites, which have caused me to
pause in life and give thanks. I hope that you enjoy this little series of
stories.
In his autobiography, Breaking Barriers, syndicated
columnist Carl Rowan tells about a teacher who greatly influenced his life.
Rowan relates: Miss Thompson reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a
piece of paper containing a quote attributed to Chicago architect Daniel
Burnham. I listened intently as she read: "Make no little plans; they have
no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make
big plans, aim high in hope and work. Remember that our sons and grandsons are
going to do things that would stagger us."
More than 30 years later, I gave a speech in which I said
that Frances Thompson had given me a desperately needed belief in myself. A
newspaper printed the story, and someone mailed the clipping to my beloved
teacher. She wrote me: "You have no idea what that newspaper story meant
to me. For years, I endured my brother's arguments that I had wasted my life.
That I should have married and had a family. When I read that you gave me
credit for helping to launch a marvelous career, I put the clipping in front of
my brother. After he'd read it, I said, 'You see, I didn't really waste my
life, did I?'"
Reflection:
Never feel that you have wasted your life because you never know whom you may
have influenced along life’s journey. I believe that we would all be amazed as
the long line of people that have made big decisions and small because their
path crossed ours.
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