Through the years I would take a guess at 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 yet they manage. I will ask you again soon.”
Several years passed before she asked me again. 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, ” Incorrect. There are many people in World 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. I shall wait for right answer , my child.”
Then one year, my grandfather died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because I seldom saw him cry.
My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to my Grandfather. She asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?” .
She saw the confusion on my face and told me, “This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why.
But today is the day you need to get the answer.”
She looked down at me . 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 my head?”
She replied, “No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”
It is made for others and not for yourself. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.
People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did . But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.
Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you always know they are there to lend their shoulder.
By Strive Masiyiwa A few weeks ago I went to the doctor. I will tell you what he said about my health at the end, but first read this: Twenty years ago, I arranged to meet a well-known British international businessman who invested a lot in Africa at the time. We agreed to meet for dinner at a leading hotel in London. After a good meeting, we started to walk out of the restaurant when he suddenly collapsed in the lobby. There was total pandemonium as they rushed to get medical assistance. Being London, an ambulance arrived in minutes. I jumped in the back with him as paramedics wrestled to keep him alive. He had had a heart attack and had to have triple bypass heart surgery. Sadly he died a few weeks later. He hadn't been sick and his sudden death surprised everyone. And yet as I reflected on it, and later discussed it with a doctor friend who knew him, I realized he was very laid back about his health despite having a hectic business life. Even during our dinner...
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