Bill Gates is known as the richest man in the world. One day, someone asked him, "Is there anyone richer than you?" Bill Gates replied, "Yes, there is someone who is richer than me." Then he shared a story.
He said, "There was a time when I wasn't rich or famous. One day, I was at the airport in New York, and I wanted to buy a newspaper from a vendor. But I didn’t have any money at that moment, so I decided not to buy it and returned it to the seller. I told him I didn't have enough money. The vendor said, 'I’m giving it to you for free.' I was surprised, but I took the newspaper."
Bill Gates continued, "A few months later, I was at the same airport, and again, I didn’t have enough money to buy the paper. The same vendor offered it to me for free again. This time, I refused, saying I still didn't have enough money. He said, 'You can take the newspaper, I’m giving it from my own profits. It won’t hurt me.' So, I took it."
Years later, when Bill Gates became famous, he remembered the vendor and decided to find him. After about a month and a half of searching, he finally tracked him down. Bill asked him, "Do you know who I am?" The vendor replied, "Yes, you're Bill Gates." Bill then asked, "Do you remember giving me a newspaper for free a long time ago?"
The vendor smiled and said, "Yes, I remember. I gave you a newspaper twice." Bill replied, "I want to repay your kindness. Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen."
The vendor looked at Bill and said, "Sir, how do you think your help could match mine? I helped you when I was a poor newspaper vendor, and now you're offering to help me when you are the richest man in the world. How can your help be equal to mine?"
Bill Gates said, "That was the moment I realized the vendor was richer than I was. He didn’t wait to be wealthy to help someone. He helped me when he had very little. I learned that the truly rich are those with a generous heart and a big mind, not just those with a lot of money."
The lesson is that having a kind and giving heart is more valuable than having a lot of wealth.
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