The Value of Life

From Sunburst, November 2001 issue; a Singapore Technologies publication

 

 

“Never let yesterday’s disappointments overshadow tomorrow’s dreams.”

 

 

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill.

In a room of 200, he asked, “Who would like to have this $20 bill?”

 

Hands started going up.

 

He said, “I’m going to give this $20 bill to one of you, but first, let me do this.”

He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.

 

The hands remained in the air.

 

“Well,” he continued. “What if I do this?” and he dropped the note onto the ground

and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled

and dirty. “Now who still wants it?”

 

Still the hands remained in the air.

 

“My friends, you have all learnt a very valuable lesson. No matter that I did to the money,

you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt

by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless.”

 

“But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

You are special – Don’t ever forget that!”