See Also:
Beginning of a FAMOUS Hero: The Randy Pausch Story.
Life Lesson #57 – When You’re Wrong, Admit It.
Hi Kids. Let’s do something a little different today. I want to tell you about a time when I acted like ANYTHING but a HERO. The year was 1967, and Mrs. Bateman was my teacher. Our class was going on a field trip, and I was supposed to bring a sack lunch and a signed permission slip from my parents. I brought the lunch, but I forgot the permission slip. So my teacher said I couldn’t go. I said, “My mom made the lunch for me. Doesn’t that prove she knew I was going?” Again, I was told I couldn’t go. That’s when I said something very unkind to Mrs. Bateman and threw my lunch so hard that it splattered on the wall behind her. Then I took myself to the office where I knew she would send me anyway.
Mr. White was our principal, and he already knew I was coming. Mrs. Bateman had called him on the intercom, crying because of the horrible things I had said to her. Obviously, I was going to in-school suspension, but before that, I remember so well how Mr. White’s wisdom was greater than his anger. (Truth is, I had enough anger for both of us, and his anger probably would have just made mine worse.) Instead, he told me that I was selfish and hurtful, plain and simple. And that I was on the path to becoming a big loser. Again, plain and simple. He asked me if I wanted to be a loser—if that’s the kind of person I wanted to be. I said no. So he said, “Well, first of all, why don’t you start taking responsibility for your words, your actions, and your thoughts?” And then he said, “Why don’t you start HELPING others instead of hurting them?” And that was the day I began to understand.
– Jim Lord