A true story about gratitude: the redemption of childhood dreams
20021October 28th, 165438+ Three days before Thanksgiving, there was a man named Saini in Chicago. Smith's middle-aged man appealed to the local court for his right to go to Egypt. Such demands should be said to be very common in American society. However, this case caused an uproar.
The facts of this case are simple. It happened 40 years ago, Sene. Smith is 6 years old and is in Grade One in Wellington. One day, Mary, the character teacher. Teacher An asked them to tell their dreams, and 24 students in the class were very enthusiastic, especially Saini, who told them both at one breath: one was to have his own heifer and the other was to travel to Egypt. But when Mary. Miss Ann asked about a boy named Jamie, and wondered why he suddenly lost his dream. In order to let Jamie have a dream, she suggested that Jamie buy one from his classmates. So on Mary. Under the witness of Miss An, Jamie bought one from Sene, who has two dreams, for 3 cents. Because Sene wanted a calf very much, he gave up his second dream to travel to Egypt.
40 years have passed, Sene. Smith has reached middle age and made some small achievements in business. In the past 40 years, he has also been to many places, such as Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Saudi Arabia and China. However, he never set foot in Egypt. Doesn't he want to go to Egypt? He said that he never forgot his dream of going to Egypt after selling it. However, as a devout and honest businessman, he can't go to Egypt because he sold this behavior with that dream.
On the eve of Thanksgiving in 2002, he and his wife planned to travel to Africa. When designing the tour route, his wife took the pyramids in Egypt as one of the sightseeing projects. Sene Smith decided to redeem that dream, because he felt that only in this way could he set foot on that land peacefully.
Sene Smith failed to redeem the dream because the federal court valued it at $30 million. If Smith wants to redeem it, he must lose everything.
Jamie's defense said: When I received a copy of Mr. Smith's lawyer, I was packing my bags and preparing to go to Egypt with my family. This seems to be the reason why I flatly refused Mr. Smith's request to redeem that dream.
In fact, the real reason is not that we are going to Egypt, but the value of this dream. I was a poor child when I was a child. I am too poor to have my own dreams. However, since I bought a dream from Mr. Smith with 3 cents under the encouragement of Miss Mary, I have completely lost my mind and become rich. I stopped rambling and made great progress in my study. I can be admitted to Washington University because I want to fully benefit from this dream. Because I want to go to Egypt.
Because of this dream, I met my beautiful and virtuous wife. She is a person who is crazy about Egypt. If I hadn't bought that dream, we would never have met in the library, let alone had a romantic and charming love. My son is studying at Stanford University now, and I think he also benefits from this dream. Because I told him from an early age: "I have a dream, and that is to go to Egypt. If you can get good grades, I will take you to that beautiful place. " I think he entered Stanford University at the call of Egypt.
Now, I own six supermarkets in Chicago with a total value of about $25 million. I think, if I didn't dream of traveling to Egypt, I would never have this wealth. Dear judges, I think if this dream is your, you will think that this dream has been integrated into life in your, and it has been closely linked with life in your and the fate of your. I will definitely think that this dream is your priceless treasure.
It costs $30 million to redeem a dream that sells for 3 cents. In our opinion, it may not be necessary or not worth it at all. However, according to the Chicago Telegraph, not long ago, Sene. Smith has appealed to the federal court, saying that even if he spends 300 million yuan to fight the lawsuit against his great-grandson, he will redeem his childhood dream.
The true story about gratitude Part II: Gratitude brings embarrassment.
17 years old, studying in the county, more than 30 miles away from home.
One night in late autumn, I was lying in bed reading a foreign anthology, and one of the stories deeply touched me. Jack. Robert is a child far from his parents. /kloc-at the age of 0/6, he suddenly realized that he had grown up, and he thought of gratitude. So, regardless of the snow outside the window, he rushed home all night, and he wanted to tell his parents that he loved them.
As he imagined, his mother opened the door, and he said devoutly, "Mom, today is Thanksgiving, and I came back to thank you for giving me life!" " Jack. Before Robert finished, his mother hugged and kissed him tightly, and Jack's father came out of the back room and hugged them affectionately.
That kind of warm scene suddenly set off a wave of homesickness. It suddenly occurred to me that today is Thanksgiving Day in the West. Yes, I also want to give my parents a surprise!
It's too late to go home by bus. I borrowed a bike, thinking that going home like this would make my parents more moved.
Just out of school, I found it was raining. I hesitated a little, thinking that Jack in the story might have braved the snowstorm to go home, so I was on my way.
Along the way, I kept thinking about my mother's surprise when she opened the door and saw me. Sweat and rain wet my clothes, I still push hard, just want to tell my parents my love and gratitude as soon as possible.
Finally, I stood in front of my house wet and my heart was pounding. I knocked on the door. When the door opened, my mother saw it was me, and with panic in her eyes, she whispered, "What's wrong with you?" It's late at night. Why did you come back? What happened? "Suddenly my mind went blank, and I couldn't say the' lines' rehearsed countless times along the way." Dad, mom, me, me "and" me "talked for a long time, and finally said nothing, just tossed my head, walked into my room and closed the door. Quietly ask yourself: Is this literature that far away from life? In the dark, I heard my father come out and ask, "What's the matter? "
"Who knows what's going on," said mother. "I asked for a long time, but he said nothing. Take a break and talk tomorrow. "
The next morning, after I got up, I asked my mother: Where did my father go? Why didn't I see him? "
"Boy, you didn't say anything, and ran home late at night. Your father and I stayed up all night. As soon as it is white, your father will be on his way! "
"Where to?" I asked strangely.
"Go to your school and ask you what's the matter? He is worried! "
"alas!" I sighed, unexpectedly, gratitude failed, and I was owed a debt of gratitude, which stirred my parents up for a good night's sleep for no reason.
From that night, I learned that there are many ways to thank my parents, not necessarily going home at night.
The True Story of Gratitude Part III: Who are you most grateful for today?
On weekends, my son is writing a composition at his desk. He didn't write a word for a long time, just looked at the blank paper in a daze. I sneaked a look and found that the title of the composition was "Who are you most grateful for today". I thought that the teacher would really give a question. Writing this kind of composition can make children understand and sow the seeds of gratitude in their hearts.
Our family is not rich. After the father was laid off, the children opened a small bookstore. When my son went to high school, he just reached out to his parents for his watch and bike, as if his parents were inexhaustible "banks", as if they were taken for granted and had a clear conscience. Once, in order to keep up with the competition with his classmates, he asked for 1000 yuan to wear brand-name clothes. After being scolded by his father, he was so angry that he didn't talk to his family for weeks.
The son pondered for a long time and suddenly turned back and asked, "Mom, who do you think I am most grateful for today?" I told him to think about it. He said grumpily, "I'm sitting in my own house. I didn't accept anyone's charity, and I didn't ask anyone for help. Why should I be grateful to others? " My son thinks this composition is unreasonable.
My son's indifference worries me. I told him that everyone who comes to this world from the womb will always accept the benefits given by this world. For example, if you are sitting indoors today without being exposed to the sun and rain, you should thank the construction workers who climbed on the scaffolding; When you turn on the air conditioner to enjoy the coolness without being tortured by the heat, you should thank the electric workers who braved the high temperature to repair the lines; Even a cup of boiled water to quench your thirst and a handkerchief to wipe your sweat reflect the love of others.
The son disagreed: "Isn't this all bought with money?" He thinks that he doesn't owe anyone, doesn't ask anyone, and lives a life of "money and goods are paid", so there is no need to thank anyone. But, son, have you ever wondered where the money came from? Is it a flood? Did it fall from the sky? I told my son: On the first day, you fell off the platform on the second floor of the school and broke your right leg. It cost more than 5,000 yuan to be hospitalized. At that time, your father was just laid off. In order not to cripple you, he went to the dock thin and carried more than 200 bags of cement every day. He was so tired that he almost fell into the river several times. More than 200 bags of cement are more than 20,000 kilograms. One day's coolie is only enough to pay for your medical expenses for half a day. Those banknotes stained with sweat and blood are all spelled out with life. Son, did you say thank you to your father when you recovered from the hospital?
My son blushed and whispered that even my father would like to thank him? I said, how can a person who doesn't even thank his father thank others? The ancients said, "Every morning, a stick of incense is thanked by the three lights of heaven." Even the sky, the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars should be thanked, not to mention people. The son was silent and lost in thought. In the evening, my son's composition was written. In the last paragraph, the son wrote: "Gratitude is positive thinking and humility. When a person knows how to be grateful, he will turn it into action and feel happy because of gratitude. A grateful heart is the seed of peace, and a grateful person is a harmonious factor between people. "
No matter how much my son knows about his handwriting, I still smiled comfortably after reading it.
The True Story of Gratitude Part 4: Han Xin's Gratitude for Sharing Food.
According to historical records, when Han Xin was a child, his family was poor and his parents died. Although he studies hard and practices martial arts hard, he knows nothing about making money. As a last resort, he had to eat "free meals" at other people's homes. Because of this, they are often given the cold shoulder by others. Han Xin swallow not to descend this tone, went to the Huaihe River to fish, fish for food, and often had a hearty meal. On the Huaihe River, there is an old woman who washes yarn wadding for others, and she is called "Piaoniang". Seeing that Han Xin was starving, she gave him half of her food. Every day, without interruption, Han Xin vowed to repay her kindness. After Han Xin was named "Huaiyin Hou", she never forgot her wandering mother's kindness of sharing food, sent people to look around and finally gave her 1000 yuan. This is the origin of the idiom "a meal is worth 1000 yuan".
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