Most Important Part of the Body

My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body?
Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the
correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very
important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy." She said,
"No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will
ask you again soon."

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first
attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told
her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our
eyes." She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the
answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years,
Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No.
But you are getting smarter every year, my child."

Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was
crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it
was only the second time I saw him cry. My Mom looked at me when it
was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, "Do
you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"

I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a
game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told
me, "This question is very important. But today is the day you need
to learn this important lesson."

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up
with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your
shoulder."

I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?" She replied, "No, it is
because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they
cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear.
I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish
one. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.

"People will forget what you said... People will forget what you did.
But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel...."