The Seed

> A successful business man was growing old and

> knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

>

> Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,

> he decided to do something different. He called all the young

> executives in his company together.

>

> He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.

> I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were

> Shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one

> of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant

> the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with

> what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then

> judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be

> the next CEO.'

>

> One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,

> received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the

> story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted

> the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had

> grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began

> to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

>

> Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

>

> Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

>

> By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have

> a plant and he felt like a failure.

>

> Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he

> had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but

> he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.

> He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the

> seed to grow.

>

> A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company

> brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

>

> Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.

> But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick

> to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment

> of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot

> to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety

> of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --

> in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and

> many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

>

> When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young

> executives.

>

> Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees,

> and flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will

> be appointed the next CEO!'

>

> All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with

> his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to

> the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a

> failure! Maybe he will have me fired!'

>

> When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened

> to his seed - Jim told him the story.

>

> The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,

> and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next

> Chief Executive Officer!

>

> His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow

> his seed.

>

> 'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said.

>

> Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this

> room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,

> and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;

> they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

>

> All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and

> flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you

> substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the

> only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with

> my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new

> Chief Executive Officer!'

>

> * If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

>

> * If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

>

> * If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

>

> * If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

>

> * If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

>

> * If you plant hard work, you will reap success

>

> * If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

>

> * If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest

>

> So, be careful what you plant now;

> it will determine what you will reap later.

>

>

>

> 'Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back'

> 

> Attitudes are contagious...so fill your environment with happiness, enthusiasism, and optimisim!!!

 

Thanks Bob H.