The Most Important Body Part

This story of a mother and her little boy is from an unknown author.

When he was a little boy his mother would periodically ask him what was the most important body part and he would always take a guess at what he thought was the correct answer.

At first the little boy thought that sound was important to humans and answered that his ears were most important. The mother told him, no, and that many people were deaf but to keep thinking and she would ask him again soon.

Years had passed until she asked the question again. The boy had been thinking very hard about the correct answer and said that sight was very important; therefore it must be the eyes. She looked at him and encouragingly said that he was learning very fast but eyes was not the answer because many people were blind.

Over the years the boy searched to find the correct answer but every time he was asked the mother would tell him no, but that he was getting smarter every year.

Then his grandfather died and the boy noticed everybody crying, even his father. This was only the second time he saw his father crying. As they were saying their final good-byes to the grandfather the boy was asked, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my son?”

The boy was shocked when asked. He always thought this was some game between him and his mother. She saw the confusion on his face and said, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson."

She looked down at him as tears welled up in her eyes and said, “My son, the most important body part is your shoulder.” He asked if it was because it held his head up. She told him, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life. I hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”

Then and there he knew the most important body part was not a selfish one, but one that’s sympathetic to the pain of others.

People will forget what you said...
People will forget what you did....
But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel


I know it's hard sometimes
and things seem larger than they are
But if you need to let it go
Then you can call on me
Cry on my shoulder
I'll help you dry your eyes
Cry on my shoulder

- Bonnie Raitt lyrics from Cry On My Shoulder