My mother used to ask me what
is the most important part of the body.

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 last year, my grandpa 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 Grandpa.
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 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.

The origination of this is unknown.

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