I Have Learned, Part I

Over the years I have learned that people are not all alike.  We each have distinct dreams and differing views on what constitute success.  More importantly, we should not judge the seeming failure or success of others based upon our own definitions, which may be either narrow or thoughtless.

Here is a true story for illustration.  

Many years ago (while attending college) my brother-in-law took a job delivering flowers for a local flower shop.  The shop employed two people for flower deliveries.  As time went on, my brother-in-law came to know the other deliveryman pretty well.  The other man was a bit older and very gregarious.  Eventually, the man told my brother-in-law that he was a mathematician by trade.

My brother in law had trouble hiding his shock.  “If you are a mathematician, why on earth are you delivering flowers?”

The deliveryman answered without hesitation.  “Oh, that’s easy!  Most people don’t care about mathematicians.  I was unhappy.  But now, every day and everywhere I go, I make other people happy.  People smile when they open the door and find me there with flowers.  This is the best job in the world!”     

--Mitchell Hegman