Early 20th Century African-American poet Countee Cullen spent the summer of his eighth year in Baltimore, Maryland. Shortly after he arrived he noticed a little white boy staring at him. Countee smiled, but the little boy did not smile back. Instead, he stuck out his tongue and called him a hurtful, racial slur.
Cullen later wrote a poem that included his recollection of the summer when he was eight. In it, he says this:
"I saw the whole of Baltimore
from May until September.
Of everything that happened there
that's all I can remember."
The white child likely soon forgot the episode. And he probably never was aware of the pain he inflicted on the young stranger. But the truth is... everything counts. EVERYTHING. Everything we do and everything we say. Everything helps or hurts; everything adds to or takes away from someone else.
Educator and writer Leo Buscaglia put it like this: "The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no tickertape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt."
How truly amazing life can be when we know that... EVERYTHING COUNTS.
And that's something you can hang your hat on.
Most Recent Entries
8/29/08 - SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON-CHANGE I was reminded of this when I read the headline in this morning's "Observer"-you know the one, Obama says, "It's time for us to change America."
There's an old tale in the Marine Corps about a lieutenant who inspected his platoon, and told the sergeant that the troops smelled really bad. >>Read more...
I am impressed by an incident that happened during Ignacy Paderewski's (November 18, 1860 - June 29, 1941) career. The famous Polish pianist agreed to play a concert organized by two Stanford University students working their way through school. Paderewski's manager said they would have to guarantee the artist a fee of $2,000. The boys agreed and eventually the concert was held.
Though the two student promoters worked hard, they took in...>>Read more...
From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again.
Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did God make you?"
"Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago."
8/25/08 - SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON-THE OLD PHONE When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.
Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information...>>Read more...
8/22/08 - SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON-A TOUCHING MOMENT Did you meet a friend for lunch? According to "The Farmer's Almanac," if you are American you probably touched each other twice an hour. If you are English, you may not touch each other at all. If you are French, you might touch each other 110 times an hour, and if you are Puerto Rican, you just might touch each other 180 times an hour.
There are obvious cultural differences in communication styles, but studies agree that touching is important to human development....>>Read more...
One man said of his marriage, "I very distinctly remember my wedding day. As we unloaded the moving van into our little house, I said, 'Darling, this is your and my little world.'"
"And I suppose," wondered his friend, "that you've lived happily ever after?"
"We've been fighting for the world's championship ever since," he said.
That must have been the same couple who...>>Read more...
You heard about the sign posted on a rancher's fence? On the other side of the fence resides the biggest, meanest looking bull you can imagine. The sign is intended to strike fear into the hearts of would-be trespassers. It reads: "Don't attempt to cross this field unless you can do it in 9.9 seconds. The bull can do it in 10 flat!"
Don't try to cross that field unless you are prepared! And isn't that the way it is in life? We have to...>>Read more...
8/18/08 - SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON-HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the...>>Read more...
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, at this point, is 6 for 6 for 6: 6 events, 6 gold medals, 6 world records set. If tonight, he doesn't win his 7th, will he NOT be a success?
Warren Buffet is one of the richest men in the world and one who's financial advice is one of the most sought for. What if his next investment turns out to be a bust, is he no longer "successful"?
This world seems to be full of talent. I've never felt as if much of it has come my way, so I appreciate this story.
It is about a wholesaler in New York who sent a letter to the postmaster of a small Midwestern town. He asked for the name of an honest lawyer who would take a collection case against a local debtor who had refused to pay for a shipment of the wholesaler's goods. He got this reply: >>Read more...
>>Click here for all Something To Hang Your Hat On Entries
