Covering all the bases

A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strode through his backyard,baseball cap in place and toting ball and bat." I'm the greatest baseball player in the world," he said proudly. Then he tossed the ball in the air, swung and missed. Undaunted, he picked up the ball, threw it into the air and said to himself," I'm the greatest player ever!" He swung at the ball again, and again he missed. He paused a moment to examine bat and ball carefully. Then once again he threw the ball into the air and said," I'm the greatest player who ever lived." He swung the bat hard and again missed the ball.

"Wow," he exclaimed." What a pitcher!"

From Chicken Soup for the Soul

On courage

"So you think I'm courageous?",she asked.

"Yes I do."

"Perhaps I am. But that's because I've had some inspiring teachers. I'll tell you about one of them. Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liza who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying,'Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza.'

"As the tranfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice,' Will I start to die right away?'

" Being young, the boy has misunderstood the doctor, he thought he was going to have to give her all of his blood.

" Yes, I've learned courage," she added," because I've had inspiring teachers."

Dan Millman

on Chicken Soup for the Soul