To the People in My Life

this story is dedicated to u...

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been so me ti me 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 ti me to think about the past and often
no ti me 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 re me mbering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me ?" "Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It' s 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 ti me 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 ti me 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
ho me town. 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 ho me , Jack and his Mom stopped by to see
the old house next door one more ti me . Standing in the doorway, Jack paused
for a mo me nt.

It was like crossing over into another di me nsion, a leap through space and
ti me . The house was exactly as he re me mbered. Every step held me mories.
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 ti me s 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 re me mbered it, except for the box. He figured so me one
from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said.
"I better get so me sleep. I have an early flight ho me , Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning ho me from work
one day Jack disc overed a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a
package. No one at ho me . 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 ti me ! - Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most ...was ... my ti me ."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his
appoint me nts for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need so me ti me to spend with my son," he said.
"Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your ti me !"

"Life is not me asured by the number of breaths we take but by
the mo me nts 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 so me 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 me an the world to so me one.

6. If not for you, so me one 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 ti me , sooner or later, you will get it or so me thing better.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, so me thing good can still co me
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. So me one that you don't even know exists, loves you.

12. Always re me mber the compli me nts you received. Forget about the rude
remarks.

13. Always tell so me one 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 ti me to let them know that they
are great.

If you send this letter to all the people you care about, you will
certainly brighten so me one's day and might change their perspective on
life... for the better.

To everyone I sent this: "Thank you for your ti me ."