Crumpled But Still Valuable

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a$20 bill. In the room of 200 eager participants, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the bill.

He then asked: "Who still wants it?" The hands went up again.

"Well, what is I do this?" He dropped the bill and started to grind it into the floor with his foot. He then picked it up' it was not crumpled and dirty.

"Now who still wants it?" The hands continued to go up.

"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the bill, you wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

"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. We feel as though we are worthless.

"But no matter what has happened or what will happen, 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 lies not in what we do or whom we know, but by who we are.

"You are all special - don't ever forget that."

Sent to Starmag by Clement Nathan