Skip to main content

The Importance of Education - Touching Story

This is a true story you can use to stress the importance of education to your children. When I was 19 I worked for a seafood restaurant as a prep cook, but specifically, I sliced and hand peeled thousands of individual shrimp 12-14 hours a day, six days a week. We were a bunch of 18-30 year-old classic American burnouts – except – after school each day – one 15 year-old Korean kid peeled shrimp with us. We affectionately nicknamed him “Flounder.” He was a good kid and we tried not to corrupt him.

Everyone knew Flounder’s parents; they owned the flower shop and the liquor store at a nearby mall and his dad had been selling us booze since we were 15. So, one day, about eight of us were standing around in the cooler doing whip-its, when I said, “Flounder, what are you doin’ workin’ a shit job? I mean, your parents own two businesses. They must be doin’ pretty good. You don’t need the money, do you?”

Flounder replied, “No, we don’t need the money. I don’t want this job. I hate it here. My dad makes me do it…. He said he wanted me to know what my life would be like if I didn’t get an education.” It was silent. Flounder didn’t realize what he had said to us. We didn’t hold it against him. We all knew his dad was right, and it hurt.

We’d all been schooled, but we weren’t educated. We didn’t even know what it meant. Some say Mark Twain said, “Never let your schooling get in the way of your education.” Flounder’s dad knew that we learn in every moment of our lives, so he gave his son the best education he could by forcing him to peel shrimp. At the time, I didn’t view peeling shrimp as an education, I viewed it as a way to make money. But it was a part of my education, and a valuable one I’m grateful to have had.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Educational Jokes

Physics Teacher: “Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree when an apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity. Isn’t that wonderful?” Student: “Yes sir, if he had been sitting in class looking at books like us, he wouldn’t have discovered anything.” Two factory workers talking: Woman: “I can make the boss give me the day off.” Man: “And how would you do that?” Woman: “Just wait and see.” She then hangs upside-down from the ceiling. Boss comes in: “What are you doing?” Woman: “I’m a light bulb.” Boss: “You’ve been working so much that you’ve gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off.” The man starts to follow her and the boss says: “Where are you going?” The man says: “I’m going home, too. I can’t work in the dark.” A man talking to God: The man: “God, how long is a million years?” God: “To me, it’s about a minute.” The man: “God, how much is a million dollars?” God: “To me it’s a penny.” The man: “God, may I have a penny?” God: “Wait a minute.” A little g...

Teacher and Student Funny Conversation..

Teacher: Change this sentence into Future Tense, "I killed a person" Student: The Future tense is "You will go to a jail" Teacher: Did u make this poem yourself?? Student: Yes Sir ! Teacher: Nice to meet you, William Shakespeare Teacher: Which one is more important for us, Son or Moon? Student: Ofcourse Moon Teacher: Why?? Students: The moon gives us light in night when we need it BUT the sun gives us light in day when we don't need it.. Teacher : What will you do after growing up? Student : Facebooking Teacher : No! I mean what will you Become? Student : Admin of Facebook pages Teacher : O My God! I Mean what will you Achieve when you grow up? Student : Facebook Admin Rights Teacher : Idiot! I Mean what will you do for you Parents ? Student : I create a page for them on FacebooK."I Luv Mom and Dad". Teacher : Stupid! What do you parents want from U? :@ Student : My Facebook password. Teacher : Oh God!

The White Tiger - Must Read..

 Long ago in a village near the Kumgang Mountains in Korea there lived a young boy. His father had been missing since he was a baby, and the boy knew very well the reason why. Andrew, age 6 An enormous White Tiger still lived in the Kumgang Mountains who had tormented the village for years, coming down to prey not only on horses and cattle, but even on the human beings who lived there. Years ago, his father, who had been the finest hunter and gunman in the land, ventured into the Kumgang Mountains to shoot the White Tiger and to save the village. He had never returned. When the boy was still small he already decided deep in his heart that when he grew up, he would be the one to shoot down the tiger that had overpowered his father. As soon as he was allowed, he trained rigorously with the gun and became almost as good a gunman as his father had been. When he was fifteen years old, the boy went to his mother and said, "Mother, I'm ready now to set out for the Kumga...