It is amazing how much living, practical truth can be found in so many different places. The following story from a church newsletter is a very good illustration of this fact.

A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a large airport. As she would need to wait many hours,  she decided to buy a book to spend her time.  She also bought a packet of cookies. She sat down in an armchair, in the VIP room of the airport, to rest and read in peace.

Beside the armchair where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in the next seat, opened his magazine and start reading.  When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought,  “What a nerve! If I were in the mood I would punch him for daring!”

For each cookie she took, the man took one also. This was infuriating her but she did not want to cause a scene. When only one cookie remained, she thought, “Ah … what will this  man do now?”

Then, the man, taking the last cookie, divided it into half, giving her one half. That was too much! She was much too angry now!  

In a huff, she took her book, her things and stormed to the boarding area.

When she sat down in her seat inside the plane, she looked inside her purse to get her glasses, and to her surprise, her packet of cookies was there untouched, unopened! She felt so ashamed! She realized that she was wrong.

The man had divided his cookies with her, without feeling angered or bitter, while she had been very angry, thinking that she was dividing her cookies with him. Now there was no chance to explain herself, nor to apologize.

There are four things that you cannot recover …

1. The stone after the throw!  

2. The word after it is said!

3. The occasion after the loss!

4. The time after it is gone!