The Lesson

This is the best example I've seen as to the importance of paying attention...

First-year students at at a renowned veterinary school were attending their first anatomy class with an actual dead cow. They all gathered around the surgery table that held the body covered with a white sheet.

The professor started the class by telling them, "In Veterinary medicine it is necessary to have two important qualities as a doctor. The first is that you should not be disgusted by anything involving the animal's body."

The professor pulled back the sheet, stuck his finger in the butt of the cow, withdrew it, and stuck it in his mouth.

"Now, I want each of you to do the same thing," he instructed his students.

The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes, but eventually took turns sticking a finger in the butt of the dead cow and sucking on it.

When everyone has finished, the Professor looked at them and said,

"The second most important quality, as a doctor, is observation. I stuck in my middle finger and sucked on my index finger. You need to learn to pay attention to what is going on around you. Life's tough, but it's even tougher if you're stupid."