1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished
cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle
of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck,
you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an
accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't
exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this  world who
don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, They are going to freeze
that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to
me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: my mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
 During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I
was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I
read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the
school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several
times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know
her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class
ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our
quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many
people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even
if all you do is smile and say 'hello'.
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11.30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing
on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her
car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she
decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety,
helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked
him.
Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise,
a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was
attached.
It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other
night.
The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you
came
along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's
bedside just
before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly
serving others."
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 -year-old boy
entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass
of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty
cents,"
replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket
and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?"
he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress
was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream,"
he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and
walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table.
There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five
pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have
enough left to
leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid
himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of
the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked
around it.
Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none
did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon
approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally
succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse
laying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold
coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who
removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us
never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our
condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts.
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a
little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.
Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year
old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the
situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be
willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment
before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as
we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek.
Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and
asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away". Being
young the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to
have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.