WORTH READING 30 Jan 2008

Acres of Diamonds

One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was a
man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived
until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a
clergyman.

One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college education
but couldn't swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided, at that moment, what
his aim in life was, besides being a man of cloth - that is. He decided to
build a university for unfortunate, but deserving, students. He did have a
challenge, however. He would need a few million dollars to build the
university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real purpose in life, nothing
could stand in the way of his goal.

Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued
by a true story - with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who
lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about
looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the
African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions
of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the
diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by,
constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually
he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about
the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A
visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal
convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock
on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The
new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" -
and sure enough it was.

The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine...the richest the world
has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of
Diamonds" until he sold his farm.

Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach it's
moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acre of Diamonds", if
only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before
charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell told this story many
times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to
have raised the money to start the college for underprivileged deserving
students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university
he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten
degree-granting colleges and six other schools.

When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our
own "Acre of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old...it will
be true forever...

Opportunity does not just come along - it is there all the time - we just
have to see it.

Contributed @ PravsWorld
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