One young academically
excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He
passed the first interview, and the director discovered from the CV that the
youth’s academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary
school until the postgraduate research.
The director asked, “Did you obtain any
scholarships in school?” The youth answered “none”.
The director asked, “Was it your father who
paid for your school fees?” The youth answered, “My father passed away when I
was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees”.
The director asked, “Where did your mother
work?” The youth answered, “My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director
requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that
were smooth and perfect”.
The director asked, “Have you ever helped
your mother wash the clothes before?” The youth answered, “Never, my mother
always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash
clothes faster than me”.
The director said, “I have a request. When
you go back today, go and clean your mother’s hands, and then see me tomorrow
morning”.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the
job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him
clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she
showed her hands to her son. The youth cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. His
tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother’s
hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. This was
the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed
the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the
mother’s hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation,
academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his
mother’s hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his
mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning,
the youth went to the director’s office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth’s
eyes, asked: “Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in
your house?” The youth answered, “I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished
cleaning all the remaining clothes”.
The Director asked, “please tell me your
feelings”. The youth said, “Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without
my mother, there would not be the successful me today. Number 2, by working
together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it
is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance
and value of family relationship”.
The director said, “This is what I am
looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the
help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done,
and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired”.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his
subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company’s
performance improved tremendously.
Moral: If one doesn’t understand
and experience the difficulty it takes to earn the comfort provided by their
loved ones, than they will never value it.
Powerful consideration! So often we take things and people and even our wonderful God for granted. Your post today leaves much for thought...
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