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

So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later..

“Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back”

This has to be one of the saddest thing i saw in a long time. I was sitting in Bar Burger near CM’s house in Arzai, and I was enjoying my burger, when this kid comes and sneaks in and this is what he proceeded to do.

Yes, He is going through the TRASH to see if he can find some bottles and cans to get a few extra agurot to his family.

Now appreciate what you have and tell your kids as well. I encourage you to show this video to them as well. It might inspire them to not make fun of their poor friends, or to help other kids in need.

I always took the “quick burger” I was going to eat for granted and never really stopped and appreciated it. Until I saw this young boy actually walk in and look through the trash to find a few bottles and cans to make a few “agurot” to give to his family. All that extra agurot couldnt add up to a Burger.

I was very fortunate to grow up with food on the table and never hungry. However, do we ever realize that there are kids that are so close to where we are (in this case, right next door to CM) that DON’T have food to eat for dinner. They are actually going to bed hungry, parents actually having to ask their kids to collect bottles and cans out of garbages so they can feed their families. This isn’t a solicitation for anything. This is just an awakening that I personally had, and something I realized that I take for granted every time I go to a restaurant to eat. How spoiled.

I followed this young boy for another block and watched him rummage through other trash cans for more bottles and cans, he even put some things in his pocket, could it have been food? I have no idea. I finally mustered up the courage to go over to him and give him $20.00 US Dollars. First he looked at me confused as if I wanted change… when he realized I was giving it to him (his family) he started giving me blessings like I never got in my life. I don’t really understand Hebrew, but it was very meaningful, because I saw it coming straight from his heart.

I watched as he started to leave (yes, I borderline stalked him)… he saw some of his friends who he was proudly showing the $20 bill, and explained that this “might be over 70 shekel”… Oh, the happiness on the kids face was priceless.

My burger can finally digest. Next time you have a burger, think of our hungry children that could possibly be our own neighbors.