Six Little Stories

Six little stories can result in a lifetime of learning – just ask Dick Harp, our OLLI director. Curiosity is timeless, and new experiences are the best teacher.

For the third year in a row, I was invited to speak to one of the many Snow Bird clubs in our area. The members of these clubs, almost all seniors, leave their snow country homes and spend three to four months here in northwest Florida. They have planned activities; many and varied social events and monthly meetings with guest speakers.

I was one of two speakers they had invited for this meeting and prepared, what I thought, was an interesting discussion about the economic impact they have on our area. The speakers then answer questions from the members present at the meeting.

My questions had to do with financial matters. The 300-plus attendees seemed to be pleased with my speech and appreciate and enjoy the question-and-answer session.

Then the second speaker stepped up to the podium and the Snow Birds enjoyed his presentation much more than mine. Instead of a serious talk, he provided a philosophical and entertaining speech. No one asked me for a copy of my offering, but many of the members asked him for copies of his talk. It was simple, humorous and much more interesting than my talk.

I confess that I enjoyed his presentation more than mine and asked for a copy that, with his permission, I will share with you. He told me he’d actually heard it several few months ago and repeated it for the Snow Birds. As the saying goes, “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.”

If your scour the Internet, the “Six Little Stories” can easily be found as they are very popular. Here are the six short philosophical messages:

1. Once, all the villagers decided to pray for rain. They gathered on the next day to pray, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That’s FAITH.
2. When you toss a baby in the air, the baby laughs because he or she knows you will catch him or her. That’s TRUST.
3. Every night we go to bed, without any assurance we will be alive the next morning, but still we set the alarm to wake up.  That’s HOPE.
4. We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. That’s CONFIDENCE.
5. We see the world suffering, but we still get married and have children. That’s LOVE.
6. On an old man’s shirt was written, “I am not 80 years old … I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.” That’s ATTITUDE.

Have a happy day and live your life like these six stories!

Hope to see you in class soon.