Enjoy the inspirational short story of The Black Dot in the video above.

A teacher asked her students to prepare for a surprise test.

They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin.

The teacher handed out all the question papers…

…with the text facing down as usual.

She asked her students to turn their page and begin.

To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions…

…just a black dot in the middle of the page.

Seeing the expression on everyone’s face, the teacher told them…

I want you to write about what you see there.

The students were confused…

…yet, they got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the teacher took up all their answer papers.

She started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students.

All of them with no exceptions, described the black dot.

Trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, etc. etc. etc.

After all had been read and the classroom silent…

The teacher began to explain…

I am not going to grade on you this.

I just wanted to give you something to think about.

No one wrote about the white part of the paper.

Everyone was focused on the black dot.

The same happens in our lives.

We have a white paper, a blank canvas to observe and enjoy.

Yet almost always, we focus on the dark spots.

The health issues that bother us.

The lack of money.

The complicated relationships with family.

The disappointment with a friend.

The dark spots are very small compared to everything good in our lives.

However, those are what we allow to pollute our minds.

Take your eyes away from the black spots in your life.

Appreciate each moment and blessing that life offers you.

To help you with that, appreciate another short video (about a different type of dot)

PLUS check out these free gifts from friends…

Hi, I'm Thea Westra at Forward Steps (forwardstepsblog.com)

Since March 2003, I've been sharing practical, positive, thought provoking and inspiring self improvement content online. My aim is simple - to offer tips and resources that help us enhance our daily experience of life and to keep stepping forward. Perth, Western Australia is the place I call home and I'm the author of "Time For My Life: 365 Stepping Stones". You might also know me from the Forward Steps personal development blog and the daily series of "365 Forward Steps Notes", all designed to add wings to our unique life journeys.

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