Dear Doctor:
I received this anonymous little story from Dr. Janice Hughes, Masters Circle Senior Consultant, director of our College Connection program, author of the TMC best-seller “Inspired Wealth” and a woman of tremendous intellect, character and vision.
“During my second month in 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 fifties, 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 you just smile and say hello.”
I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned that her name was Dorothy.”
As I get more successful and busier, I sense myself becoming “all about business” and perhaps losing some balance on things I used to consider essential. Maybe you’ve noticed it too. While some of the trade-off can be chalked up to “life in the fast lane,” I don’t ever want to be so consumed with my work that I miss what’s really important.
No matter what our job description, we are all in the relationship business. None of us can conduct our affairs without others - family, staff, patients, advisors, vendors, heroes, friends, and so on. In this wonderful holiday season, we make it a point to acknowledge and recognize those we care about - but what about the rest of the year? How many ‘Dorothies” are there in your sphere of influence? And what does it cost you in missed opportunities to be kind and loving, and what’s the impact on your life?
We all feel over-programmed and stressed at times - wouldn’t it be ironic if the antidote was reaching out to help someone, to be available to make someone’s day or change their feelings of self-worth, improving the quality of their lives just a little bit?
And what if you are Dorothy? The rules are the same - show your love, show your kindness, show the depth of your understanding of the way things really work, and find time in your busy day to live the holiday spirit, instead of just talking about it.
Dennis Perman DC, for The Masters Circle
PS However you celebrate, look back over this year and be grateful for what you have. Please remember how special you are, and share yourself with others. God Bless.
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