A Soulful Journey

Oliver Wendell Holmes, American author and physician, was absent-minded.  Once, when Holmes was asked for his ticket on a train, he could not locate it.  After searching all his pockets and his briefcase, he was unable to produce the ticket.  He became distraught.  The conductor, knowing Mr. Holmes and his reputation, said reassuringly, "Never mind, sir.  I am certain you will mail it in."  Holmes was not comforted.  "Mr. Conductor," he replied, "The question is not "Where is my ticket?" but "Where am I going?"   Thought: The conductor was wiling to give Mr. Holmes leeway.  Instead of berating him, making pay for another ticket or any number of negative responses, he chose to be kind.   Thought: The question Mr. Holmes asked should be one that we regularly ask ourselves, “Where are we headed and is this where we should be going?”  

Oliver Wendell Holmes, author, physician was sometimes quite absent-minded. Once when asked for a ticket on the train he could not locate it. After searching through his pockets and briefcase he was unable to produce it and became distraught. The conductor, knowing Dr. Holmes, said reassuringly, “Never mind sir.  When you find your ticket, I am certain you will mail it in.” Holmes was not comforted. “Mr. Conductor,” he replied, “the question is not where is my ticket but where am I going?”