A teacher at a school in rural America wrote to the President of Ford Motor Company:
“Our school is in great need of a piano. Please help us.”
Soon after the teacher received a reply,
There were only one hundred dollars in the envelope.
The average person may be disappointed,
Blame the President of Ford for being stingy.
But the teacher wasn’t upset.
Instead, he used the $100 to buy high-quality peanut seeds and plant them in school.
That year, the peanut harvest was bountiful, and the profits were substantial.
So more seeds were sown in the second year.
A few years later, the teacher took the money from the harvest of the peanuts and bought a piano.
She sent a thank-you note and some peanuts from harvest to the President, in which she said:
“I bought the peanut seeds with a hundred dollars donated by the President. The peanuts had a good harvest, sold for a good price, and finally bought a piano. Thank you very much for your support.”
Later, the President wrote back and attached a check for $10,000. The letter reads:
“I’m proud of a teacher like you. We’ve had a lot of people ask us to help.
But you not only thanked me but also gave me peanuts as a gift. I was deeply moved.
Enclosed is a check for ten thousand dollars for the future development of the school. If you need subsidy in the future, please apply as much as possible. I will be glad to contribute whatever amount you need. “
If we don’t have the heart of appreciation, we will take others’ help for granted. When they don’t live up to our expectations, we will criticize them. It’s because the source of gratitude in our soul has dried up.
There is a saying: Engrave hatred in water, kindness in stone.
仇恨刻在水裡，恩惠刻在石上
美國鄉下某間學校的老師寫信給福特汽車會長：
「我們學校很需要一架鋼琴，懇請您資助我們。」
不久收到回信，
信封裡只有一百美元。
一般人也許大失所望，
埋怨福特汽車會長小氣。
但是這位老師並不沮喪，
反倒拿這一百美元購買品質優良的花生種子，在學校種植。
那一年，花生收成大好，獲得可觀的利潤。因此，第二年撒下的種子更多。
幾年過後，這位老師拿買賣花生的錢，買架鋼琴。
她將感謝信及部分收成的花生寄給會長，並在感謝信中提到：
「我用會長奉獻的一百美元購買花生種子，花生有了好的收成、賣了好價錢，終於買下一架鋼琴，非常感謝您的資助。」
後來，會長回信，同時附上一萬美元的支票。信上寫著：
「我以妳這樣的老師為榮。請我們資助的人很多，不少人埋怨我只給小額奉獻，甚至不屑一顧。
但是，妳不但感謝我，還送我花生作為禮物，令我深受感動。
信裡附上一萬美元支票，用作學校未來的發展基金。日後若需要補助，請妳盡量申請，不論金額多寡，我都樂意奉獻。」
如果不懂得感謝，就將別人的幫助視為理所當然；一旦沒有達到期待便嚴加批評，這是因為靈魂深處的感恩泉源已經枯乾。
有句話說：仇恨刻在水裡，恩惠刻在石上。
文章摘錄整理自《我是幫助你的神》 / 金聖惠 https://www.pcstore.com.tw/ezra/M50287717.htm
