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In Sunday school, the minister was trying to illustrate the word miracle. “Boys and girls,” he said, “suppose I stood on the roof of a ten-story building, lost my balance and fell off. Then all of a sudden, in midair, a whirlwind swept me up and brought me safely to the ground. Now what word would you use to describe this?” After a long silence a boy raised his hand and said, “Luck?”
“True, true,” replied the minister. “It could be luck — but that’s not the word I wanted. I’ll repeat the story. There I am on the top of the ten-story building again, and I fall. A whirlwind catches me in midair and places me safely on the ground. Think now — what word would describe the situation?” “Accident,” cried out one girl.
“No, no,” answered the minister. “Listen carefully for the third time. I’m on that same building, I fall and am swept to safety by a sudden whirlwind. What word could account for my safely reaching the ground?” The boys and girls shouted in unison: “Practice!”
(トークラインのご利用者様にお送りしている1月8日付のHANDOUTの一部で、The Reader’s Digestからの転載です)