My mother used to ask me what is
the most important part of the body and 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 my last attempt I
contemplated a correct answer. So I told her "Mommy, sight is very important to
everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me that I was
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
she asked me a couple more times and always the same answer "No. But you are
getting smarter every year my young child." Then last year my Grandpa died.
Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that
especially because it is only the second time I saw him cry. 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 son?" And I was shocked 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 in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past
I have told you that it was wrong and given you an example why. But today is the
day you need to learn this important lesson." She looked down at me like only a
mother can. I saw her eyes fell up with tears. She said, "Son the most important
body part is your shoulder." Was it because it held up my head? She replied,
"No, because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry.
Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life my son. I only hope that
you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on
when you need it." Then and there I knew the most important body part was not
selfish, it was sympathetic to the pain of OTHERS. You are a friend and whenever
you want you can cry on my shoulder!!! People will forget what you said. People
will forget what you did, but People will never forget how you made them feel.
