Busy but Polite
Theodore Roosevelt, former president of the United States, has been described as founder of the Bull Moose Party, the man who led his troops up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War, a big-game hunter, family man, civic servant, and a host of other things.
His life story would indicate that he was not only an extraordinary successful man, but surely one of the busiest and best-organized ever. However, with all of his “busyness,” even during his campaign trips, when he demands on his time were the greatest, he still retained some of those human qualities that made him so successful. Simple example: He never forgot to thank others who did things for him. On his whistle-stop tours during his campaign trips, he always left his private car to stop and thank the engineer and fireman for a safe and comfortable trip. True, it took only a few minutes of his time, but when your minutes are so few, they are quite important. However, he felt that those minutes were well invested and he enjoyed meeting the people who had served him so well. In the process he made friends for life. Doing simple little things, thinking of the other person, endeared him to people all across America, which certainly was a significant reward for the few minutes it took him to say thank you.
Someone once said that you could always tell a “big man” by the way he treated a “little” man. By that yardstick alone you would have to agree that Theodore Roosevelt was a “big” man. The returns can be great. kAkA.hUnTeR
To hear conscience clearly often requires us to be “still” or “reflective” or “meditative” – a condition we rarely choose or find.
spoke at : 1/11/2009 03:18:00 PM