Day 3 2015: Be of a Generous Heart This morning I was singing to myself Grandma’s Hands by Bill Withers. And with an emotionally charged rush I began reminiscing about one of the last discussions I had with my Dad. In the sunset of my fathers life I told him he was the greatest man Ive ever known. He shook his head and said the greatest man that I ever knew was my Grandfather. I found that rather curious. My father was an honors graduate from high school and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania because Princeton prohibited the admission of Negro students. All of his life he spoke French and teased us in Latin. He was a pianist and organist of excellence. I knew that my grandfather cleaned peoples homes all of his life. My father said that during the Depression my grandfather would do odd jobs and in the late afternoon play his fiddle, ukulele, banjo, viola, or guitar with his brother on street corners. He would return home and give all the pennies, nickels, or dimes to people who had “no money” so that they could eat. Rich people would give him clothes in-lieu of cash. He would give the clothes to his neighbors as well. He never asked for anything in return, not even a thank you. He never gave those clothes, pennies, nickels, or dimes to his family My grandfather will always be the second greatest man that I ever knew. So, I hope that this year I will find it within my heart to find a time to say ‘Thank You” smile, hug, and use my talents to improve the lives of those who life unfairness has visited them. I hope God gives me the time to live the life of my father and grandfather. They gave without the need of acknowledgement, or for reasons of self-promotion. They gave and Let God Do the Rest! “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” Mitch Albom “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” John Wesley quotes (English Evangelist, founder of Methodism. 1703-1791) “If truth doesnt set you free, generosity of spirit will.” ― Katerina Stoykova Klemer “In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe its wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love: One Womans Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia “Dont touch my plumtree! Said my friend and saying so... Broke the branch for me” ― Taigi, Japanese Haiku “You cant live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” ― Debbie Macomber, One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity “I come in a world of iron...to make a world of gold” ― Dale Wasserman, Man of La Mancha
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:51:29 +0000
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