Short Story: A Black Dot

 One day, a professor entered his classroom and asked his students to

prepare for a surprise test. They all waited anxiously at their desks for

the exam to begin.

The professor handed out the exams with the text facing down, as usual.

Once he handed them all out, he asked the students to turn over the

papers.

To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions–just a black ⚫ dot in the

center of the paper.

The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s faces, told them the

following:

“I want you to write about what you see there.”

The students, confused, got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the professor took all the exams, and started

reading each one of them out loud in front of all the students. All of

them, with no exception, defined the black dot, trying to explain its

position in the center of the sheet.

After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor started to

explain:

“I’m not going to grade you on this, I just wanted to give you something

to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone

focused on the black dot — and the same thing happens in our lives.

However, we insist on focusing only on the black dot — the health issues

that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a

family member, the disappointment with a friend.

The dark spots are very small when compared to everything we have in

our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds. Take your the

eyes away from the black dots in your lives. Enjoy each one of your

blessings, each moment that life gives you.

Be happy and live a life filled with love!”

As an expression of gratitude, towards all teachers, who taught and

continue to teach us lessons of life like the the professor in the story; We

wish the entire teaching community a Happy Teacher's Day!