A blind boy was sitting with a hat to collect money, but the hat only had a few coins. A man changed the writing on the boy's sign to say "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it". This more emotional message attracted more donations. The story teaches that adding perspective can make an appeal more effective, and we should appreciate what we have and help others with less.

1. THERE IS A
WAY
The Entertainer
By Scott Joplin

2. A blind boy sat on the steps of a
building with a hat by his feet.
He held up a sign which said:
He held up a sign which said:

3. There were only a few coins in the
hat.
hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few
coins from his pocket and dropped them
into the hat.

4. He then took the sign, turned it around,
and wrote some words.
He put the sign back so that everyone
who walked by will see the new words.
who walked by will see the new words.

5. Soon the hat began to fill up.
A lot more people were giving money
to the blind boy.
to the blind boy.

6. That afternoon the man who had changed
the sign came to see how things were.
the sign came to see how things were.
The boy recognized his footsteps and
asked,
”Were you the one who changed my sign
”
this morning? What did you write?”
this morning? What did you write?

7. The man said,
“I only wrote the truth.
“
I said what you said but in a way.”
I said what you said but in a way.
”

8. What he had written was:
quot;Today is a day
and I cannot see it.quot;
and I cannot see it.quot;

9. Do you think the first sign and the
second sign were saying the same
thing?
Of course both signs told people the
boy was blind.
boy was blind.

10. But the first sign simply told people to
help by putting some money in the hat.
The second sign told people that they were
able to enjoy the beauty of the day, but the
boy could not enjoy it because he was blind.
boy could not enjoy it because he was blind.

11. Should we be surprised that the
second sign was more effective?
second sign was more effective?

12. There are at least two lessons we
can learn from this simple story.
can learn from this simple story.

13. The first is,
“Be thankful for what you have. Someone
“
else has less.
Help where you can.”
where you can.
”

14. The second is,
“Be .
“
Be .
Think .
THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY!”
THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY!
”

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