A Story With A Moral: Being Thankful
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign that read: “I am blind, please help.”
Though he waited for kindness, only a few coins rested at the bottom of the hat. People passed by without paying much attention. However, after some time, a man walked past, noticed the boy, and stopped. He reached into his pocket, took out a few coins, and dropped them into the boy’s hat. Then, something unusual happened. The man picked up the sign, turned it around, and wrote something new on the back.
After writing, the man placed the sign back beside the boy, making sure it was visible to everyone passing by.
The boy couldn’t see what had been written, but soon, something changed. The hat, which had been almost empty, began to fill with coins. More and more people stopped to give money to the boy, and he felt the difference.
That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign returned. The boy, recognizing his footsteps, asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”
The man smiled softly and said, “I didn’t change the truth of your message. I simply rephrased it. What I wrote was: ‘Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.’”
The boy paused, realizing that the man’s words had touched people differently. Both signs communicated the same truth: that the boy was blind. But the first sign merely stated a fact, while the second sign made people think of their own blessings. It reminded them of the beauty they could see, something the boy could never experience.
The simple change in words shifted people’s perspective. They realized how lucky they were to see the world, and as a result, they felt more compelled to help the boy.
Moral:
Be thankful for what you have.
The difference between the two signs shows us that sometimes, it’s not just what we say, but how we say it that truly matters. Be creative in your approach. Be innovative. Think differently, positively, and with empathy for others.
When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep faith alive and let go of fear.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling… and what’s even more beautiful is knowing that you’re the reason behind that smile!
