ONE OF MY FAVORITE HABITS in life is
waking up early on Sunday morning, getting the
Sunday paper, making a hot cup of coffee, and
kicking back to read about what's going on in the
world. It's my quiet time ... my time alone to
reflect and relax.
One Sunday morning about halfway through my
little ritual, I spotted a headline that read
"Graduating Student Credits His 'Angel' " ... and
I began to read.
A young man who was graduating from college
told the story about how Oral Lee Brown
was his "Real-Life Angel." In 1987, Brown, a
real estate agent in Northern California, saw
a young girl in her neighborhood begging for
money.
When she went to the school the girl had
claimed to attend, Brown couldn't find her,
but that day she made a decision that would
change the lives of many other children forever.
She adopted an entire first-grade class in
one of Oakland's lowest-performing schools,
and she pledged that she personally would
pay for anyone who wanted to attend college.
This would be a great story even if Oral Lee
Brown were independently wealthy; however,
it is a much greater story considering she was
a former cotton picker from Mississippi,
making $45,000 a year and raising two children
of her own.
Brown lived up to her pledge. Since 1987,
she's personally saved $10,000 a year while
raising donations for her "adopted first-grade
kids." And because of her tremendous act of
unselfish love, children who could have been
"swallowed by the streets" are now graduating
from college to pursue their dreams.
We all seek our purpose in life. Most of us
wonder how we can make a positive difference
during our brief time on this earth. But
asking and doing are different things.
It's hard to imagine that Oral Lee Brown
wouldn't have a wonderful positive attitude,
because she has thought less about herself and
more about others. This, in my opinion, is a
"little secret" that many people never quite
understand about life.
Learn more about Mac Anderson, founder of
Successories and author of the Simple Truths book
series.