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One of my step-daughters sent this.  I feel it good enough to share with =
all of you.       Sharon

************************************************************************

ALL GOOD THINGS=20

He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in =
Morris, Minn.  All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund =
was one in a million.  Very neat in appearance, but had that =
happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional =
mischieviousness delightful.  Mark talked incessantly!  I had to remind =
him again and again=20
that talking without permission was not acceptable.=20
What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I =
had to correct him for misbehaving - "Thank you for correcting me, =
Sister!  I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I =
became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.=20
One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too =
often, and then I made a novice-teacher's mistake.  I looked at Mark and =
said, "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!"=20
It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking =
again."  I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but =
since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on =
it.=20
I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning.  I walked to my =
desk, very deliberately opened by drawer and took out a roll of masking =
tape.=20
Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces =
of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth.  I then returned to =
the front of the room.  As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he =
winked at me.=20
That did it!!   I started laughing.  The class cheered as I walked back =
to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders.  His first =
words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."=20
At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math.  The =
years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again.  He =
was more handsome than ever and just as polite.  Since he had to listen =
carefully to my instructions in the "new math," he did not talk as much =
in ninth grade as he had in third.=20
One Friday, things just didn't feel right.  We had worked hard on a new =
concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, =
frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another.  I had to stop =
this crankiness before it got out of hand.  So I asked them to list the =
names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving =
a space between each name.  Then I told them to think of the nicest =
thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.  =
It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, =
and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers.  =
Charlie smiled.  Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister.  Have a =
good weekend."=20
That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet =
of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that =
individual. On Monday I gave each student his or her list.=20
Before long, the entire class Was smiling.  "Really?"  I heard =
whispered.  "I never knew that meant anything to anyone!"  "I didn't =
know others liked me so much."  No one ever mentioned those papers in =
class again.  I never knew if they discussed them after class or with =
their parents, but it didn't matter.  The exercise had accomplished its =
purpose.   The students were happy with themselves and one another =
again.  That group of students moved on.=20
Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me =
at the airport.  As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual =
questions about the trip - the weather, my experiences in general.  =
There was a lull in the conversation.  Mother gave Dad a side-ways =
glance and simply said, "Dad?"  My father cleared his throat as he =
usually did before something important.=20
"The Eklunds called last night," he began.  "Really?", I said.  "I =
haven't heard from them in years.  I wonder how Mark is."  Dad responded =
quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said.  "The funeral is =
tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend."  To this =
day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about =
Mark.=20
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before.  Mark looked =
so handsome, so mature.  All I could think at that moment was, "Mark, I =
would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to =
me."=20
The church was packed with Mark's friends.  Chuck's sister sang "The =
Battle Hymn of the Republic."  Why did it have to rain on the day of the =
funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside.  The pastor said the =
usual prayers, and the bugler played taps.  One by one, those who loved =
Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water.=20
I was the last one to bless the coffin.  As I stood there, one of the =
Soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me.  "Were you Mark's math =
teacher?" he asked.  I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. =
"Mark talked about you a lot," he said.=20
After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's =
farmhouse for lunch.  Mark's mother and father were there, obviously =
waiting for me.  "We want to show you something," his father said, =
taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was =
killed.=20
We thought you might recognize it."=20
Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook =
paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times.=20
I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had =
listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. =
"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said.  "As you can =
see, Mark treasured it."Mark's classmates started to gather around us.  =
Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list.  It's =
in the top drawer of my desk at home."=20
Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album."  "I =
have mine too," Marilyn said.  "It's in my diary."  Then Vicki, another =
classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed =
her worn and frazzled list to the group.  "I carry this with me at all =
times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash.  "I think we all saved =
our lists."=20
That's when I finally sat down and cried.  I cried for Mark and for all =
his friends who would never see him again.=20

THE END=20

Written by Sister Helen P. Mrosla=20

The purpose of this letter is to encourage everyone to compliment the =
people you love and care about.  We often tend to forget the importance =
of showing our affections and love.  Sometimes the smallest of things, =
could mean the most to another. I am asking you to please send this =
letter around and spread the message and encouragement, to express your =
love and caring by complimenting and being open with communication. The =
density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will =
end one day.  And we don't know when that one day will be.  So please, I =
beg of you, tell the people you love and care for that they are special =
and important.  Tell them, before it is too late.=20
 =20
 =20


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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>One of my step-daughters sent =
this.&nbsp;=20
I feel it good enough to share with all of=20
you.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sharon</FONT>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Times New Roman"=20
size=3D2>****************************************************************=
********</FONT></P>
<P>ALL GOOD THINGS </P>
<P>He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School =
in=20
Morris, Minn.&nbsp; All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark =
Eklund was=20
one in a million.&nbsp; Very neat in appearance, but had that =
happy-to-be-alive=20
attitude that made even his occasional mischieviousness =
delightful.&nbsp; Mark=20
talked incessantly!&nbsp; I had to remind him again and again <BR>that =
talking=20
without permission was not acceptable. <BR>What impressed me so much, =
though,=20
was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving =
-=20
&quot;Thank you for correcting me, Sister!&nbsp; I didn't know what to =
make of=20
it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many =
times a day.=20
<BR>One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too =
often,=20
and then I made a novice-teacher's mistake.&nbsp; I looked at Mark and =
said,=20
&quot;If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth =
shut!&quot; <BR>It=20
wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, &quot;Mark is talking=20
again.&quot;&nbsp; I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch =
Mark, but=20
since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on =
it.=20
<BR>I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning.&nbsp; I =
walked to=20
my desk, very deliberately opened by drawer and took out a roll of =
masking tape.=20
<BR>Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two =
pieces of=20
tape and made a big X with them over his mouth.&nbsp; I then returned to =
the=20
front of the room.&nbsp; As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, =
he winked=20
at me. <BR>That did it!!&nbsp;&nbsp; I started laughing.&nbsp; The class =
cheered=20
as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my=20
shoulders.&nbsp; His first words were, &quot;Thank you for correcting =
me,=20
Sister.&quot; <BR>At the end of the year, I was asked to teach =
junior-high=20
math.&nbsp; The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my =
classroom=20
again.&nbsp; He was more handsome than ever and just as polite.&nbsp; =
Since he=20
had to listen carefully to my instructions in the &quot;new math,&quot; =
he did=20
not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in third. <BR>One Friday, =
things just=20
didn't feel right.&nbsp; We had worked hard on a new concept all week, =
and I=20
sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and =
edgy with=20
one another.&nbsp; I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of=20
hand.&nbsp; So I asked them to list the names of the other students in =
the room=20
on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.&nbsp; Then I =
told=20
them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their =
classmates=20
and write it down.&nbsp; It took the remainder of the class period to =
finish=20
their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me =
the=20
papers.&nbsp; Charlie smiled.&nbsp; Mark said, &quot;Thank you for =
teaching me,=20
Sister.&nbsp; Have a good weekend.&quot; <BR>That Saturday, I wrote down =
the=20
name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what =
everyone=20
else had said about that individual. On Monday I gave each student his =
or her=20
list. <BR>Before long, the entire class Was smiling.&nbsp;=20
&quot;Really?&quot;&nbsp; I heard whispered.&nbsp; &quot;I never knew =
that meant=20
anything to anyone!&quot;&nbsp; &quot;I didn't know others liked me so=20
much.&quot;&nbsp; No one ever mentioned those papers in class =
again.&nbsp; I=20
never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but =
it=20
didn't matter.&nbsp; The exercise had accomplished its =
purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp; The=20
students were happy with themselves and one another again.&nbsp; That =
group of=20
students moved on. <BR>Several years later, after I returned from =
vacation, my=20
parents met me at the airport.&nbsp; As we were driving home, Mother =
asked me=20
the usual questions about the trip - the weather, my experiences in=20
general.&nbsp; There was a lull in the conversation.&nbsp; Mother gave =
Dad a=20
side-ways glance and simply said, &quot;Dad?&quot;&nbsp; My father =
cleared his=20
throat as he usually did before something important. <BR>&quot;The =
Eklunds=20
called last night,&quot; he began.&nbsp; &quot;Really?&quot;, I =
said.&nbsp;=20
&quot;I haven't heard from them in years.&nbsp; I wonder how Mark=20
is.&quot;&nbsp; Dad responded quietly. &quot;Mark was killed in =
Vietnam,&quot;=20
he said.&nbsp; &quot;The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like =
it if=20
you could attend.&quot;&nbsp; To this day I can still point to the exact =
spot on=20
I-494 where Dad told me about Mark. <BR>I had never seen a serviceman in =
a=20
military coffin before.&nbsp; Mark looked so handsome, so mature.&nbsp; =
All I=20
could think at that moment was, &quot;Mark, I would give all the masking =
tape in=20
the world if only you would talk to me.&quot; <BR>The church was packed =
with=20
Mark's friends.&nbsp; Chuck's sister sang &quot;The Battle Hymn of the=20
Republic.&quot;&nbsp; Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? =
It was=20
difficult enough at the graveside.&nbsp; The pastor said the usual =
prayers, and=20
the bugler played taps.&nbsp; One by one, those who loved Mark took a =
last walk=20
by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. <BR>I was the last one =
to bless=20
the coffin.&nbsp; As I stood there, one of the Soldiers who acted as =
pallbearer=20
came up to me.&nbsp; &quot;Were you Mark's math teacher?&quot; he =
asked.&nbsp; I=20
nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. &quot;Mark talked about =
you a=20
lot,&quot; he said. <BR>After the funeral, most of Mark's former =
classmates=20
headed to Chuck's farmhouse for lunch.&nbsp; Mark's mother and father =
were=20
there, obviously waiting for me.&nbsp; &quot;We want to show you=20
something,&quot; his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. =
&quot;They=20
found this on Mark when he was killed. <BR>We thought you might =
recognize=20
it.&quot; <BR>Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces =
of=20
notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many =
times.=20
<BR>I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had =
listed=20
all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. =
&quot;Thank=20
you so much for doing that,&quot; Mark's mother said.&nbsp; &quot;As you =
can=20
see, Mark treasured it.&quot;Mark's classmates started to gather around=20
us.&nbsp; Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, &quot;I still have =
my=20
list.&nbsp; It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.&quot; <BR>Chuck's =
wife=20
said, &quot;Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.&quot;&nbsp; =
&quot;I=20
have mine too,&quot; Marilyn said.&nbsp; &quot;It's in my =
diary.&quot;&nbsp;=20
Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her =
wallet=20
and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group.&nbsp; &quot;I carry =
this=20
with me at all times,&quot; Vicki said without batting an eyelash.&nbsp; =
&quot;I=20
think we all saved our lists.&quot; <BR>That's when I finally sat down =
and=20
cried.&nbsp; I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never =
see him=20
again.=20
<P>THE END=20
<P>Written by Sister Helen P. Mrosla=20
<P>The purpose of this letter is to encourage everyone to compliment the =
people=20
you love and care about.&nbsp; We often tend to forget the importance of =
showing=20
our affections and love.&nbsp; Sometimes the smallest of things, could =
mean the=20
most to another. I am asking you to please send this letter around and =
spread=20
the message and encouragement, to express your love and caring by =
complimenting=20
and being open with communication. The density of people in society is =
so thick=20
that we forget that life will end one day.&nbsp; And we don't know when =
that one=20
day will be.&nbsp; So please, I beg of you, tell the people you love and =
care=20
for that they are special and important.&nbsp; Tell them, before it is =
too late.=20
<BR>&nbsp; <BR>&nbsp; </P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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