Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat.  It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read.  Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me.  I decided to start a conversation.  "Where are you headed?" I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

"Great Lakes Air Base.  We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq," he answered.

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars.  It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard the soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch.  "No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch.  Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks.  I'll wait till we get to Chicago."

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers.  None were buying lunch.  I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill.  "Take a lunch to all those soldiers."  She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly.  Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.  "My son was a soldier in Iraq... it's almost like you are doing it for him."

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated.  She stopped at my seat and asked, "Which do you like best - beef or chicken?" "Chicken," I replied, wondering why she asked.

She turned and went to the front of plane, returning  a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. "This is your thanks."

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room.  A man stopped me.

"I saw what you did.  I want to be part of it.  Here, take this."  He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said, "I want to shake your hand."

Quickly unfastening my seat belt I stood and took the Captain's hand.  With a booming voice he said, "I was a soldier and I was a military pilot.  Once, someone bought me a lunch.  It was an act of kindness I never forgot."  I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.  A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine.  He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed in Chicago, I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.  Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word.  Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.  I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars.  "It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich.  God Bless You."

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.  As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return.  These soldiers were giving their all for our country.  I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.

-- Author Unknown

Hole in the Boat

A man was asked to paint a boat.

He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him.

While painting, he noticed that there was a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it.

When finished painting, he received his money and left.

The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice cheque, much higher than the payment for painting.

The painter was surprised and said "You've already paid me for painting the boat Sir!" 

"But this is not for the paint job. It's for having repaired the hole in the boat."

"Ah! But it was such a small service.. certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant."

"My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened.

When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention about the hole.

When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip.

They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time.

When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole.

Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.

Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your 'small' good deed."

So, no matter who, when or how. Just continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively and carefully repair all the 'leaks' you find, because you never know when one is in need of us or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone.

You may have repaired numerous 'boat holes' along the way.. of several people without realizing how many lives you've saved.

So Keep up the Good work no matter how small it may seem to be.

I want to thank Everyone who repaired my boat this year in every way like good wishes, thoughts, love, care & prayers, it made a big difference in my life. 

Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏

Don't Judge Too Quickly

Once upon a time, there was a man who was very helpful, kindhearted, and generous. He was a man who will help someone without asking anything to pay him back. He will help someone because he wants to and he loves to.  One day while walking into a dusty road, this man saw a purse, so he picked it up and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman shows up and gets him arrested.

The woman kept on asking where did he hide her money but the man replied, “It was empty when I found it, Mam.” The woman yelled at him, “Please give it back, it’s for my son’s school fees.”  The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed all his own money.  He could see that the woman was a single mother.  The man said, “Take these, sorry for the inconvenience.”  The woman left and policeman held the man for further questioning.

The woman was very happy but when she counted her money later on, it was doubled, she was shocked.  One day while woman was going to pay her son’s school fees towards the school, she noticed that a skinny man was walking behind her.  She thought that he may rob her, so she approached a policeman standing nearby.  He was the same policeman, whom she took along to inquire about her purse.  The woman told him about the man following her, but suddenly they saw that skinny man collapsing.  They ran at him, and saw that he was the same man whom they arrested few days back for stealing a purse.

He looked very weak and the woman was confused.  The policeman said to the woman, “He didn’t return your money; he gave you his money that day.  He wasn’t the thief but hearing about your son’s school fees, he felt sad and gave you his own money instead.”  Later, they helped the man to stand up, and the man told the woman, “Please go ahead and pay your son’s school fees, I saw you and followed you, just to be sure that no one steals your son’s school fees.”   The woman was left speechless.

Lesson: 

Life gives you strange experiences, sometime it shocks you and sometimes it may surprise you. We end up making wrong judgments or mistakes in our anger, desperation and frustration. However, when you get a second chance, correct your mistakes and return the favor.

Be Kind and Generous. Learn to Appreciate what you are given.

-- Author Unknown