| My
mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body is. 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 making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct
answer. So this time I told her,
'Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.' She looked
at me and told me, 'You are 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, Mother asked me
a couple more times and always her answer was, 'No. But you are getting smarter
every year, my child.' Then one year,
my grandfather died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father
cried. I remember that especially because it was 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 my Grandfather. She asked me, 'Do you
know the most important body part yet, my dear?' I was shocked when 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 were wrong and I have given you an example why. But
today is the day you need to learn this important lesson.' She looked down
at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, 'My dear,
the most important body part is your shoulder.' I
asked, 'Is it because it holds up my head?' She
replied, 'No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when
they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. 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 is not a selfish one. It is made
for others and not for yourself. It is sympathetic to the pain of others. People
will forget what you said. People will forget what you did . But people will NEVER
forget how you made them feel.
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