Reaction to Others -"Treat every human being just the way that you would want to be treated..! "

 I have wonderful memories of those first 20 years of growing up ........
Many people influenced my life in very positive ways.

Some taught me the importance of hard work, discipline, and believing in myself. 
Especially teachers (that are much undervalued, nowadays) had a great impact on my life, as mentors.
 I could recall one that is still the funniest person I've ever met. He taught me that a sense of humor, and especially laughing at yourself, that can be one of life's greatest blessings.

But my father was my hero.....
He taught me many things, but at the top of the list, he taught me to treat people with love and respect...to live the "Chalk & Walk the Talk" .......
I remember one particular instance of him teaching this "life lesson" as if it were yesterday.
One afternoon I observed my Dad talking to a variety of people from different echelons of life.... 
At the end of the day, just as we were leaving, a 'low-end person' came in.

As we were ready to go home, I thought that surely Dad wouldn't spend too much time with him. 
But I was wrong....
 Dad greeted him friendly and talked with him about his wife and son who had been in a car accident the month before. 
He empathized, he asked questions, he listened, and he listened some more. 
I kept looking at the clock, and when the man finally left, I asked: 
"Dad, why did you spend so much time with him? 
He's just a ..........." 
Dad then looked at me........, and said:
 "...........Let's talk."

He said: "I'm your father and I tell you lots of stuff as all fathers should, but if you remember nothing else I ever tell you, remember this...treat every human being just the way that you would want to be treated."
 He said: "I know this is not the first time you've heard it, but I want to make sure it's the first time you truly understand it, because if you had understood, you would never have said what you said." 
We sat there and talked for another hour about the meaning and the power of these words.........
 Dad said, "If you live "this basic  respect for ANY individual daily" , -everything else in life will usually work itself out, but if you don't, your life probably will be very unhappy and without meaning."
" Truer words were never spoken....."

I wish I could have successfully taught my own 'growing-up' children this "wisdom"......!


I have made it my Life's Vision.........
How I wish I could have a 2nd chance of having such an impact on others & leaving a legacy to my born & unborn heritage with such an estate of incalculable value.


Shalom