Tuesday 9 November 2010

What's important

A colleague sent me this, sorry for the bad translation- I'm tired.

An Indian
American walked with his friend in downtown New York. It was noon and the streets were crowded. Speeding cars and taxis, sirens near or far, all these deafening city sounds. Suddenly the Indian said:
- I heard a cricket.
- You cannot hear a cricket in all this uproar! his friend answered.
- I'm sure I heard a cricket! the Indian insisted.
- That's crazy! the friend said.

The Indian listened carefully for a moment then went upstreet to an area with some trees. He looked around, under the branches and found the little cricket. His friend was amazed.

- It's incredible! You must have a superhuman hearing!
- No, said the Indian. My ears are different from yours. It depends on what you listen to.
- But you just can't
hear a cricket in this noise! continued his friend.
- Depends on what is important to you, was the answer. Let me show you.

He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out some coins that he
discretely dropped on the pavement. Then, with all the deafening noise of the city, everyone within a radius of five meters turned their heads and look around to check if the money was theirs.

- See what I mean? the Indian continued. It all depends on what is important to you.

4 comments:

caluad said...

I couldn't agree more with this story. Although sometimes it is very difficult what people finds important.
have you tried asking your pupils about important events in their towns? Mine usually say, the Avila football club lost again!
There are lots of people who are unemployed and they waste their time at school, lots of kids who have nowhere to live in, and theya re tired of the colour in their room.
The same with adults. A pity!

ivasil said...

I have not tried asking them, but I'm rather afraid to, considering what the media find important! Most of the time, it's outrageous.
Well, it was a bad evening. So, tomorrow I will consider myself important and spend the evening pampering myself-I'll have a haircut, get some rest etc...I hope nothing else happens.

caluad said...

Don't wait for tomorrow to feel important, you are already important today, whatever may happen. Right?

ivasil said...

Made another mistake. Something is not working in my head. Bye.