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WITandWISDOM(tm) - June 3, 2003 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, then you will be fired with enthusiasm. - Vince Lombardi Source: The Internet Tutor http://www.shagmail.com/sub/sub-tutor.html Copyright 2003 Boogie Jack and Shagmail ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: To Tell the Truth By Al Batt "Who did this?" asked my teacher. Thirty children tried to think about not only what they had done, but also what our teacher may have found out. "Who did this?" asked my teacher once more. She wasn't really asking, she was demanding an answer. She seldom became angry, but she was this time. She held up a piece of broken glass and asked, "Who broke this window?" "Oh, oh," I thought. I was the one who broke the window. I had not done it intentionally. It was caused by an errant throw of a baseball. I was working on my knuckleball. It needed more work. Why did it have to be me? It wasn't really my fault. If I admitted guilt, I would be in a lot of trouble. How would I be able to pay for a big window like that? I didn't even get an allowance. "My father is going to have a fit," I thought. I didn't want to raise my hand, but some force much stronger than I was pulled it skyward. I told the truth. "I did it." I said no more. It was hard enough saying what I had. My teacher went to one of our library shelves and took down a book. She then began walking towards my desk. I had never known my teacher to strike a student, but I feared she was going to start with me and she was going to use a book for the swatting. "I know how you like birds," she said as she stood looking down at my guilt-ridden face. "Here is that field guide about birds that you are constantly checking out. It is yours. It's time we got a new one for the school anyway. The book is yours and you will not be punished as long as you remember that I am not rewarding you for your misdeed, I am rewarding you for your truthfulness." I couldn't believe it! I wasn't being punished and I was getting my very own bird field guide. The very one that I had been saving up money to buy. The money I feared would be going to the school to buy a new window. I wore out that book trying to match the live, flying birds to their depictions in that field guide. The book is gone, so is my wonderful teacher. All that remains of that day is my memory and the lesson my teacher taught me. That lesson stays with me every day and it will echo forever. Copyright (c) 2000 by Al Batt, mailto:SnoEowl@aol.com Al Batt is a husband, father and grandfather who lives on a farm near Hartland, Minnesota. He is a writer, speaker, humorist and storyteller. He writes a newspaper column, does a regular TV and radio show, contributes to many magazines and newspapers, and is an avid birder. Source: Christian Voices, http://www.christianvoices.org ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Comments About Driving "It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road." "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast." - Mario Andretti "If your wife wants to learn to drive, don't stand in her way." - Stan Levenson "A tree never hits an automobile except in self-defense." "I drive too fast to worry about my cholesterol." "Careful Driver: One who looks in both directions when he passes a red light." - Ralph Marterie Source: Quotes of the Day, mailto:rheamo@centurytel.net?subject=Subscribe_Quotes_of_the_Day ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: My friend, a veterinarian, was out of commission after undergoing emergency surgery. She was eager to get back to work. While visiting her at the hospital, I enjoyed reading the notes on the get-well cards she had received. My favorite came from her board of directors: "Go to bed! Lie down! Stay! Heal!" Contributed by Brenba J. Norkis Source: Reader's Digest, Copyright (c) March 2000, http://www.readersdigest.com/ ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Does a parrot know what it is talking about? Before answering, consider the case of Alex, the African gray parrot that was the subject of research by a pair of scientists studying animal communication. Alex has learned to do more than simply to repeat words at random. The scientists wanted to find out whether the parrot could learn to recognize objects and colors and to name them. The two trainers would name various items and hand them to each other while Alex watched. When Alex would accidently repeat the name of one of the objects that he had heard the trainers mention, he was given the object to play with. Alex caught on quickly, and when the trainers tested him later, he could name all the items when they were presented to him, in any order. Alex could also tell them what color each item was. Alex also learned to use the word no. If an object was offered to him that he did not want, instead of naming the object, which he could do, Alex would say No. He also said No when a stranger tried to handle him. He learned to say other things also, such as "Wanna go back." Source: Glimpses of God's Love by James A. Tucker and Priscilla Tucker, Copyright (c) 1983 by Review and Herald Publishing Association, http://isbn.nu/0767904249 Submitted by Nancy Simpson |