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My mother usedto ask me
what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I
would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer.
When I was younger, I
thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My
ears, Mommy." She said, 'No. Many people are deaf. But you keep
thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.'
Several years passed
before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had
contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, 'Mommy,
sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.'
She looked at me and told
me, 'You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because
there are many people who are blind.'
Stumped again, I continued
my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple
more times and always her answer was 'No, but you are getting
smarter every year, my child.'
Then last year, my Grandpa
died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father
cried. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final
good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, 'Do you know the most important
body part yet, my dear?'
I was shocked when she
asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and
me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me. 'This question is
very important. It shows that you have really lived your life.
For every body part you
gave me in the past, I have told you was wrong and I have given you
an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this
important lesson.
She looked down at me as
only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, 'My
dear, the most important body part is your shoulder'
I asked, 'Is it because it
holds up your head?' She replied, 'No, it is because it can hold the
head of a friend or loved one when they cry.
Everybody, need a shoulder
to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have
enough love and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry on when
you need it.'
Then and there I knew the
most important body part is not a selfish one. It is sympathetic to
the pain of others. |
