In The Early Days Of Our History Frontier ...

In the early days of our history frontier travelers were dependent upon ferry boats to get them across our nation’s rivers. The story is told of a wise old ferry boat captain who made it a practice to talk to his passengers as he ferried them back and forth across the river.

On one side he struck up a conversation with a woman who seemed to be upset. She said, “You know I’ve never been so glad to get away from a place in all my life as I am to leave here. People here are downright mean. I’m leaving some of the most hateful people I’ve ever known.

“Yes ma’am,” agreed the old ferry boat captain. “You’ll find people like that wherever you go.”

When he picked up his load of passengers from the other side of the river, he began to talk to another lady. She was weeping. “You know sir, it breaks my heart to leave this place. I’ve never been around more loving people. I made so many wonderful friends. I feel like I’m leaving a piece of my heart in this place.

“Yes ma’am,” the wise old ferry boat captain responded. “You’ll find people like that wherever you go.”

Each woman looked at life through her own unique lens. Each made a very different impression on the ferry boat captain. However, the old captain knew that each woman would continue to see people-wherever she went- the way she had seen them in the place from which she had come. (From “Your Feelings Friend or Foe” Dr Richard Dobbins)