"When I Grow up ..." and the response a teacher received from Mom

http://www.funnyexamanswers.com/

A LITTLE STORY

A businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied only a little while.
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The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life."
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The businessman scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise."
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The fisherman asked, "But how long will this all take?" To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years." "But what then?" asked the fisherman The businessman laughed and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions." "Millions? Then what?" The businessman said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
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The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"
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-Author Unknown
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http://www.lifeprinciples.net/SuccessatLife.html

definition of success in a simple life well lived

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to learn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a little bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"A liberal education is at the heart of a civil society, and at the heart of a liberal education is the act of teaching."

- A. Bartlett Giamatti

"It is not enough for us to hear these words of Jesus; to study them; to be inspired by them; to have hopes, aspirations, dreams based on them. We must ACT on them; practice them; live them in our everyday lives."

- David Ewart

There is Strength in Unity: A Story of Birds, Leadership, and Teamwork

One day, a flock of birds was flying together across the countryside.  Several of the birds in the flock noticed grains of rice that had been scattered under a large banyan tree below.

"Let's land now, so that we can fill our bellies for the rest of our journey," said one of the birds to their leader.  

Another added, "Yes, we've been flying for a great distance and have not had food for quite some time.  We won't have the energy to continue unless we eat soon!"

The leader, on the advice of his flock, agreed that they would land and feast on the rice.  

As the last grains of rice were being eaten, a large net fell on top of the flock, trapping them.

In a panic, members of the flock tried to flee unsuccessfully.  

"Quick!  A hunter with a large club is coming!   He will surely kill us all!" exclaimed one of the birds.  

Again, the birds tried to fly off in different directions, unsuccessfully.

The leader, calmly observing all of this, spoke loudly and quickly got the attention of the flock.

"We must all work together to escape.  This will be the only way we will succeed.  All of us must beat our wings simultaneously, in synchrony, and we must all fly in the same direction--follow my lead," he said.

In silence, each bird in the flock flapped its wings in synchrony.  Remarkably, the entire flock, still covered by the net, rose into the sky, out of reach of the hunter.

The flock of birds cheered at their success together.

The leader of the birds, then said, "Congratulations.  Now we must turn our attention to the task of freeing ourselves from this net.  Follow my lead, continuing in synchrony.  We will seek the help of a community of mice over those hills in the distance."  

"How will you know that they will help us?" asked one of the followers.

The leader replied, "I have befriended the leader of these mice.  We have helped one another many times over the years.  I have no doubt that we can depend on his assistance."

They flew over the nearby hills, and landed in the village of mice.  The leader of the mice approached the flock and noticed his friend, the leader of the birds.  Understanding what happened, the leader of the mice called several of his villagers to help by gnawing through the net.

An opening was finally created, and the leader of the mice said to the bird leader, "Alas, my friend, you are safe.  Please exit through this opening we have created."

The bird leader replied, "I shall let my flock exit first, and I will exit only after them."

All of the birds cleared the net, and the leader of the birds thanked his mouse friend.

Together, the flock returned to their own village...in synchrony.
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http://vedanticleadership.blogspot.com/2008/06/there-is-strength-in-unity-story-of.html

"A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit."

- Thomas Jefferson