A few years ago, in a small fishing village in the Netherlands, a young boy taught the world what selflessness and fearlessness are all about. Since the entire village depended on fishing for

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Rescue at Sea

Be willing to give love and care, and the world will brighten up around you.

--Allen Cohan

Several years ago, in a small Dutch fishing village, a young boy taught the world to understand the rewards of selflessness.

With the entire village dependent on the fishing industry for its livelihood, a voluntary emergency rescue team became an important setup. On a dark

windy night, a storm at sea capsizes a fishing boat, and in the nick of time, the crew signals S-O-S

. The captain of the rescue party hears the alarm, and villagers gather in the town square to look out over the harbor. As the rescue

rowlers battled the rough seas, the villagers wasted no time in raising lanterns on the beach to light their way home

.

After an hour, the rescue boat reappeared through the clouds, and the jubilant villagers ran forward to greet it.

When they arrived at the beach exhausted, the captain of the voluntary rescue team announced that the rescue boat could not carry all the people,

and that only one of them would have to be left behind; one more passenger and the rescue boat would capsize, and all would not survive.

In the midst of the chaos, the captain asked another team of volunteer rescuers to go for the last man left behind. 16-year-old Hans answered the call

and went out. His mother grabbed him by the arm and said, "Please don't go. Your father was killed in a shipwreck 10 years ago,

and your brother, Paul, went out to sea only three weeks ago and has not been heard from since. Hans, you're the only thing I have to fall back on!"

Hans replied, "Mom, I have to go. If everyone says, 'I can't go, there's always someone else!'

What would happen then? Mom, it's my responsibility. When someone asks to save a grant, we have to take turns playing our part."

Hans kissed his mother and joined his teammates; disappearing into the darkness.

Another hour passed, longer than forever for Hans' mother. Finally, the rescue boat sailed through the mist,

Hans was standing on the bow. The captain put his hands around the tube and called out to Hans, "Did you find the one who stayed behind?"

Hans answered loudly and happily, "Yes, we found him. Tell my mom he's my brother Paul!"

(Dan Clark)