THE BLACK SPOT

 One day a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the question paper, with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions….just a black dot in the center of the page. The professor seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following:

“I want you to write what you see there.”

The students, confused, got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the professor took all the answer papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, etc. etc. etc. After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor began to explain:

“I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots.”

The story continued, but today we just want to center our thoughts on that large white part of the paper.  Let that white paper represent the good in our lives, we have so much to appreciate, so much to make us happy, in our lives and at work.  Our family and friends, who are there for us through thick or thin, yes, occasionally they might let us down, and that act might go into that black dot – but most of the time they bring us joy.

Our jobs, no they aren’t perfect, but think of what they make possible.  Most of us don’t hate our jobs, we aren’t miserable every minute we’re there.  Occasionally there might be something that contributes to that black dot, but most of the time we can find ways enjoy what we do, even though it might not be our life’s choice.  But our work makes it possible to eat food we love, to study to be more than we are now, to care for and pamper our loved ones.

Our jobs also give us the opportunity to earn praise, to be recognized, to feel good about ourselves.  And they give us a way to recognize others, to make them feel good, and to help them up when they are low.

That white paper represents much to make us proud. It represents the good in today and in the future.  Don’t dwell on that small black dot.  Don’t let something that is a tiny fraction of your life take over a large part of your life.

Every day is a new beginning, a new season, make wonderful memories in that large expanse of white, those memories will carry you through life.

Dear Readers,  This story of the Black Dot has been circulating for years. Author Unknown.  I’m sharing it, because after all we’ve been through, we need to concentrate on all that is good in our lives.