>>>>>> A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next
>> > >door.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College,
>> > >girls,
>>>>>> > > > >>>career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear
>> > >across
>>>>>> > > > >>>the country in
>> > >pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy
>>>>>> > > > >>>life,
>>>>>> > > > >>>Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to
>> > >spend
>>>>>> > > > >>>with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing
>> > >could
>>>>>> > > > >>>stop
>>>>>> > > > >>>him.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night.
The
>>>>>> > > > >>>funeral is Wednesday."
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat
>> > >quietly
>>>>>> > > > >>>remembering his childhood days.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"Jack, did you hear me?"
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It¡Çs been so long since I
thought
>> > >of
>>>>>> > > > >>>him.
>>>>>> > > > >>>I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died
>> > >years ago," Jack said.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"Well, he didn't forget
>>>>>> > > > >>>you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were
>>>>>> > > > >>>doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side
of
>> > >the
>>>>>> > > > >>>fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to
>> > >make
>>>>>> > > > >>>sure
>>>>>> > > > >>>you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in
>> > >this
>>>>>> > > > >>>business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me
>> > >things
>>>>>> > > > >>>he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral,"
>> > >Jack
>>>>>> > > > >>>said.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to
>> > >his
>>>>>> > > > >>>hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no
>>>>>> > > > >>>children
>>>>>> > > > >>>of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by
>> > >to
>>>>>> > > > >>>see
>>>>>> > > > >>>the old
>>>>>> > > > >>>house next door one more time. Standing in the doorway, Jack paused
>>>>>> > > > >>>for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a
>> > >leap
>>>>>> > > > >>>through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered.
Every
>>>>>> > > > >>>step
>>>>>> > > > >>>held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack
>> > >stopped
>>> > > >
>>>>> > > >>>suddenly.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"The box is gone," he said.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"What box?" Mom asked.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk.
I
>>>>>> > > > >>>must
>>>>>> > > > >>>have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell
>> > >me
>>>>>> > > > >>>was
>>>>>> > > > >>>the thing I value most," Jack said. It was gone. Everything about
the
>>>>>> > > > >>>house
>>>>>> > > > >>>was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured
>>>>>> > > > >>>someone
>>>>> > > > >>>from the Belser family had taken it.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I
>> > >better
>>> > > >
>>>>> > > >>>get
>>>>>> > > > >>>some sleep. I have an early flight home,
>>>>>> > > > >>>Mom."
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home
>> > >from
>>>>>> > > > >>>work
>>>>>> > > > >>>one day¡¤ Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature
required
>> > >on a
>>>>>> > > > >>>package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within
>> > >the
>>>>>> > > > >>>next three days," the note read.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was
old
>> > >and
>>>>>> > > > >>>looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting
>> > >was
>>>>>> > > > >>>difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.
"Mr.
>>>>>> > > > >>>Harold
>>>>>> > > > >>>Belser" it read.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>Jack took the box out
>> > >to his car and ripped open the package. There
>>>>>> > > > >>>inside
>>>>>> > > > >>>was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the
>> > >note
>>>>>> > > > >>>inside. "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to
>> > >Jack
>>>>>> > > > >>>Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life."
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears
>> > >filling
>>>>>> > > > >>>his
>>>>>> > > > >>>eyes,! Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a
>> > >beautiful
>>>>>> > > > >>>gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely
etched
>>>>>> > > > >>>casing, he unlatched the cover.
>>>>>> > > > >>>Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your
time! -
>>>>>> > > > >>>Harold
>>>>>> > > > >>>Belser."
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"The thing
>> > >he valued most...was...my time."
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>Jack held the watch for a few minutes then called his office and
>> > >cleared
>>>>>> > > > >>>his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant
>>>>>> > > > >>>asked.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way,
>>>>>> > > > >>>Janet...thanks for your time!"
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the
>> > >moments
>>>>>> > > > >>>that take our breath away,"
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>Think about this. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>1. At least 2 people in this world love you so
>>>>>> > > > >>>much that they would die for you.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>2. At least 15 people
>> > >in
>>>>>> > > > >>>this world love you in
>>>>>> > > > >>>some way.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>3. A smile from you can bring happiness to
>>>>>> > > > >>>anyone, even if they don't like you.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>4. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before
>>>>>> > > > >>>they go to sleep.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>5. You mean the world to someone.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>6. If not for you, someone may not be living.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>7. You are special and unique.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>8. When you think you have no chance of getting
>>>>>> > > > >>>what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you
>>>>>> > > > >>>trust God to do what's best, and wait on His time,
>>>>>> > > > >>>sooner or later, you will
>>>>>> > > > >>>get it or something
>> > >better.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>9. When you make the biggest mistake ever,
>>>>>> > > > >>>something good can still come from it.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>10. When you think the world has turned its back
>>>>>> > > > >>>on you, take a look; you most likely turned your
>>>>>> > > > >>>back on the world.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>11. Someone that you don't even know exists,
>>>>>> > > > >>>loves you.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>12. Always remember the compliments
>>>>>> > > > >>>you
>>>>>> > > > >>>received. Forget about the rude remarks.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>13. Always tell someone how you feel about them;
>>>>>> > > > >>>you will feel much better when they know and you'll
>>>>>> > > > >>>both be happy.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>14. If you have a great friend,
>> > >take the time to
>>>>>> > > > >>>let them know that they are great.
>>>>>> > > > >>>
>>>>>> > > > >>>If you send this letter to all the people you care
>>>>>> > > > >>>about, you will certainly brighten someone's day and
>>>>>> > > > >>>might change their perspective on life... for the
>>>>>> > > > >>>better.
>>>>>> > > > >>>To everyone I sent this: "Thank you for your time."