Lesson 01

[page 14~15]

Reading Text

Stories That Will Change the Way You Think

From time to time, you are told by parents or teachers to “think outside the box.” To this, you may say, “Easier said than done.” But try it. Looking at a problem from a different perspective can lead you to a new approach to handle the problem. It truly works. The following stories show how changing your perspective can change your life.

Story 1 The Weight of the Glass

A professor walked around on a stage while teaching. She raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Students shouted out various answers.

She replied, “From my perspective, the weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour, it may make my arm ache. If I hold it for an entire day, my arm will likely cramp up, which will force me to eventually drop the glass. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”

“Some of your worries are like this glass of water. Think about them for a short while, and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer, and you begin to ache a little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel numb and be incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”

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Story 2 Potatoes, Eggs, and Coffee Beans

One day, a daughter complained to her father about the problems she was struggling with. She was frustrated because it seemed that just as one problem was solved, another followed.

Her father took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed potatoes, eggs, and ground coffee beans in each of the three pots. He then let them boil. After twenty minutes, he turned off the stove. Turning to her, he asked, “What do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,” she hastily replied. “Yes, but look closer,” he said, “and tell me what happened to each.” Shortly after, she found that the potatoes became soft. After peeling off the shells of the eggs, she noted that the inside of the eggs became firm. Finally, she took a sip of the coffee and smiled at the aroma.

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“Alright, Dad. What are you trying to tell me?” she asked.

He explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity, but each one reacted differently. “The potato was strong and hard, but became soft and weak after sitting in the boiling water. The inside of the egg was fragile but became hardened after being boiled in the water. The ground coffee beans stayed intact but changed the water itself, making it fragrant and flavorful.”

“Which are you?” he asked his daughter, “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? You can lose your strength though you started strong. You can be tough with a stiff spirit though you started weak. Or, you can change the circumstance that was brought about by adversity for the better. Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

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Story 3 The Races

Once upon a time, there lived a young athletic boy who prepared himself for a running competition. He ran with determination, strength, and power, and always beat other competitors. Whenever the boy was running for a prize, a large crowd gathered together to watch the race. A wise old man, upon hearing of the boy, had traveled far to watch his races. Though the crowd cheered loudly for the boy, the wise man stayed still and calm, expressing no sentiment.

The little boy felt proud and important. “I can beat anyone!” cried the little boy. After hearing this, the wise man said to him, “Now I present two new challengers to you.” Behind him were an elderly lady and a blind man. “Race!” said the wise man.

The race began, and the boy was the only finisher because the elderly lady and the blind man were left standing at the starting line. The little boy noted that the crowd did not cheer for him this time, which puzzled him. In the middle of the crowd was sitting the wise old man, looking calmly at the boy. He ran to the wise man and asked, “Why don’t people cheer for me now?”

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“Race again,” replied the wise man, “but this time, finish together.”

The little boy stood between the blind man and the elderly lady, holding them arm in arm. The race began, and the little boy walked slowly with the others. When they crossed the finishing line, the crowd cheered loudly and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled. He said, “Well done, little boy. You’ve won a lot more in this race than in any other you’ve run before. You are a real winner.” Now the little boy was greatly delighted, and he felt proud and important again.

[page 146]

A Letter from My Heart

To my beloved friends,

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I’m happy to have a chance to write this letter as I have just turned 17. You’ve probably noticed that I look much older than you. The illness I’ve suffered from since I was born has aged my body much faster than normal people, and I don’t know how many more years I will have. Through this letter, I’d like to share with you a few things I’ve learned about life before it’s too late.

First, try to be OK with what you ultimately CAN’T do. There is so much you CAN do. I can’t do hard physical activities like running long distances. Instead, I choose to focus on the activities I can do and I feel passionate about.

Second, surround yourself with people you want to be around. I feel most alive when I’m surrounded by those I love. Remember to appreciate and love the people around you, which will make a truly positive impact on your life.

Last but not least, keep moving forward. I try hard not to feel bad for myself. Whenever I feel down, I accept and acknowledge my feelings so that I can move past them. Don’t look backwards for too long, but try to have something to look forward to. Please take the time to think over my words. I hope they can guide you through hardships you might face in your life.

With love,

Sam

A Little Biography

Sam Berns (1996-2014)

Born on October 23rd, 1996, Sam died on January 10th, 2014 at age 17. He suffered from progeria, a genetic disorder whose symptoms include a bigger head, tight skin, loss of hair, and limited growth.