Someone forwarded this to me during President’s Day celebration and I thought I’d share it with you all in case it hasn’t come across your mailbox.
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while
trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a
nearby bog. He dropped his tools
and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified
boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad
from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse
surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the
father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
“I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.”
“No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Scottish farmer replied
waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the
family hovel.
“Is that your son?” the nobleman asked.
“Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.
“I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own
son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll no doubt grow to
be a man we both will be proud of.” And that he did. Farmer Fleming’s son
attended the very best schools and in time, graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital
Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as
the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the same nobleman’s son who was saved from the bog was
stricken with pneumonia.
What saved his life this time? Penicillin.
The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name?
Sir Winston Churchill.
Someone once said: What goes around comes around.
Work like you don’t need the money.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching.
Sing like nobody’s listening.
Live like it’s Heaven on Earth.