A well known motivational speaker liked to start off some of his seminars by holding up a $50 bill. In the room of 200, he would often ask. "Who would like this $50 bill?"
As expected, hands would start going up as soon as he asked the question. He'd follow this on by saying, "I am going to give this $50 to one of you - but first, let me do this."
He proceeded to crumple the 50 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were raised high in the air.
"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the
ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. Then he picked it up all crumpled and dirty by this stage before asking. "Does anyone still want it now?"
Again a sea of hands went into the air.
"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson, have we not? No matter what I did to the money, you all still wanted it because it never decreased in value. Not even for a second. It was, and still is, worth $50.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. At such times we often feel worthless or beyond help; but no matter what has happened in your past or what may happen in your future, you will never lose your value.
Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.
You are special - don't ever forget it."
