What does it Take?

The Chinese writing is my name in Chinese nothing more sinister. I found myself one way or another waiting in queues yesterday. On my homeward walk from my walk, an old lady asked me if I would do her a favour. She was afraid to venture out on the snow and ice, "Would I take the mail to the post box and post it for her?" When I got there somebody was putting in a large number of items so I had to wait. I then went into the store and found two queues of people. I joined the longer of the two and wondered why. It then dawned on me that I had chosen the longer of the two because I enjoyed being served by that particular shop assistant.

This reminded me of another queue I had once been in at the post office. It was a long and very slow queue. Two persons in front of me was a nice old lady with a few envelopes in her hand. The person in front of me said to her, " If you are only waiting to get stamps for your letters you don't have to be here you can get them from the machine over there." The old lady looked at her and replied, "Yes I know that. But that thing does not ask me how my arthritis is doing. jane at the counter will take time to ask me."

It is amazing how much difference a little act of kindness or a word of kindness can make such a difference to a persons day. It is very easy to get so caught up in our own little world that we can fail to notice others.  A bit like the lady I began to pass on a woodland track. it started with a good morning. Then a little bit about the weather. Then a bit about how far had we walked. Now after a few weeks, I feel sure she walks this path and looks forward to a little chat.

Somerset Maughan's mother was an extraordinarily beautiful woman married to an extraordinarily ugly man. When a friend once asked how such a beautiful woman could have married such an ugly man, she replied, "He has never once hurt my feelings."

A man named Henry Pearce was competing in a rowing race at the Olympics. He was in the lead when he noticed a mother duck and a line of ducklings following her in his path. He slowed down to almost a stop. He did not want to do any harm to them. He lost his place but managed by a tremendous effort to win it back and end the race first. Usually, such acts of kindness in a sporting event would cost the race and result in defeat. There is a well known saying in sport, "Nice guys finish last." Pearce proved this not to be so.

Another amazing true story is about Eugenio Monti an Italian bobsledder. He was at a world event and was sitting in first place. There was only one person left who could beat him a man by the name of Tony Nash. Just as Nash was about to make his final run he discovered a broken bold on his sledge. he was about to pull out of the race giving Monti the victory. monti was having none of it. he took the same bolt from his sledge and gave it to nash. nash went on to set a world record.

An act of kindness that went way and beyond the expected.

As it is said, "Do not go out looking for good deeds to do, but if one comes your way, do not refuse. If you meet someone suffering,, you must help them."

What good is self-cultivation and wisdom gathering if you keep it to yourself? Wisdom and Kindness are meant to be shared. if you can use it on behalf of others then, of course, you should.

This is the way of the Tao.

Have a wonderful day, may an act of kindness come your way.