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It's the little things which truly reveal
greatness. Not always or necessarily in the grand or grander gestures
that man throws at the world. Sometimes done simply for show by some.
Rather it's that tiny kind thought or the tiniest glimmer of compassion
behind the giving.... behind the smile.... behind the helping which
points directly to an outstanding character or heart ..or the
awesomeness of the soul.
.
It's what Mom would say 'the extra mile - the
extra touch' which separates mediocrity from greatness. She would
urge me to look for that mark of greatness in people. It's there, she
says. Just pay attention. Sometimes though they don't know it themselves
because it comes through quite naturally in them. Often too we don't
notice it nor give it much attention -- we take for granted those
things which we shouldn't. Our bad.
.
I guess what she means by
'the extra mile' are those things which a person does out of --- pure
generosity... sympathy.. compassion.. understanding.. empathy... care...
concern... solicitude.. sensitivity... charity... mercy... tolerance...
humanity ---- and acting upon it a little bit more than ordinary.
.
Thinking more of the other than of one's self. That isn't always easy.
We were raised to think and believe that nothing or no one else in the
world matters but ..... I, me, mine, and my. What others do with their
life is their business... ours is our own to tend.
.
We create
walls.. fences.. gaps.. borders.. lines... to keep others out of our
lives. Anyone who might cross it is a threat. Only when what they do or
can offer serves our best interest would we be inclined to welcome them
into our world and space or we in turn would enter their own.
.
It really is a solitary and disconnected life we're living, after all. All our fault.
.
Yet Mom would remind me that 'greatness' is still in everybody's nature
as basically man is created good. By God's design. The thing is it gets
buried deep down by the meanness and cares of the world. So then people
forget to be kind.... to be human and humane.
.
But it's there.
And it slips out sometimes, as called forth by some divine intent.
Sometimes in bits and pieces. You will miss it if you don't watch for it
or look harder. Pay attention. Greatness sometimes comes in small
packages.
.
God bless you.
And do you know
why?
Because they give of their hearts, with their hearts. While the rest of us
hang on fiercely to it and everything else which we think give us meaning in
life or to our existence. We go to every extent to save it, protect it, prosper
it, commemorate it, and marking it 'mine'. But nothing can do that. The stuff
we gather through life is just stuff and will be left behind when it's time for
us to go. Why don't we instead make this journey worthwhile? Why not try to
create places in the hearts of others where we will be remembered not for what
we have, but for what we are in the heart. Why not put aside race, color, or
creed and the big social divide, just simply connect or reach out with our
basic good which has been there all along just waiting to be called forth to do
its job. God put it there, but we keep forgetting.
We also forget that life as
in love isn't until given away to serve the greater good. We limit ourselves by
thinking 'inward' all of the time. When the biggest potential, adventure, joy,
wonder, miracle, and blessing is 'outward'. The flow of life is ... outward not
inward, self-less not self-more, giving not keeping, sharing not hoarding ....
these are the stuff heaven allows and truly blesses abundantly.
Flowers in the hands of an old wrinkled simple man is the true meaning of life. This is the key to open the gates of heaven.
I would like to do something here just so to let readers know that am very much around and blogging. This post is from the other blog. Am taking it here now and hoping that some would leave me a message or two to let me know they're there too. :-) Thanks.
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It's quite easy to turn your back to the misery of others. But not so when misery hits you. Then you wish that friends wouldn't turn their backs on you.-"Love one another as much as I love you." - I've heard this spoken so many times, read it a thousand times over. I have realized that none can be more truer than this. God in His magnificent love has given us all of the earth... land - sea - air... under our care and management, for our living joy and pleasure. And too each other to love and care for. Every individual does not stand alone no matter how he says he does and can.. or tries. For no man is an island, each one is dependent to and on another for many different things. I need you as much as you need me. So how is it that we can't... love?Love will turn the tide. Believe coz it's been done for ages, by many, in different circumstances, with the smallest or greatest of hearts and hands. Love breaks down all barriers -- real perceived imagined.Don't make it difficult for yourself or for the next guy beside you or for the rest of the world. Love... and you will make a reality your and everybody's wish that the world were a better place . It'll start with you, me, them, us.