Integrity is a most precious virtue, the most outstanding; Compassion motivates people to go out of their way, to go that extra mile to help the physical, mental or emotional pains of another human being!!! Kindness generates Compassion and is sadly lacking today wherever in the world you turn!!!
I would like to share a very interesting story I heard very recently, and hope it touches you the way it did me, and that our readers can draw some inspiration from it because it is a story that will live on forever!!! Apparently, there is an old Irish saying that goes: “Three apples fell from the tree: One for he who tells the story, one for he who reads/listens to the story and one for he who understands!!!”You will have one apple when you read this….....I hope you receive two!!!
Once upon a time, what happened; did happen.....or you wouldn’t be hearing this story!!............
No candle loses its light while lighting another candle. Every pain teaches us a lesson and every lesson makes us better human beings.There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others; that is kindness coupled with compassion
A merchant on a casual jaunt through a market came across a fine specimen of a camel for sale. The merchant and the camel seller, both skilled negotiators, struck a hard bargain. The camel seller pleased with his skill of worming out what he felt was a very good price, parted with his camel and the merchant chuffed that he had struck a fantastic bargain, proudly walked home with the latest addition to his large livestock. On arriving home, the merchant called to his helper to come and help him take out the camel’s saddle. The unwieldy heavily padded saddle being too difficult for the merchant to manage on his own. Hidden under the saddle, the helper found a small velvet pouch which on opening he discovered to be filled with precious 
jewels!!! He was overexcited!!! “Master you bought a camel.....but see what came FREE along with it!!!” The merchant was astonished as he looked at the jewels in his helper’ palm. They were of extraordinary quality sparkling and twinkling in the sunlight!!! “I bought the camel” he said, “not the jewels. I must return them to the camel seller immediately.”
The helper was aghast.....his master was really foolish. “Master.....no one would know!!!” But the merchant headed right back to the market and handed the velvet pouch back to the camel seller. The camel seller was very happy, “I had forgotten that I hid these jewels in the saddle for safe keeping!!!” “Here, choose one of the jewels for yourself, as a reward.” The merchant said “I paid a fair price for the camel and the camel only, so NO thank you, I do not need any reward,” but as much as the merchant refused, the camel seller insisted.
Finally the merchant said, sheepishly smiling, “Actually, when I decided to bring the pouch back to you, I already took two of the most precious jewels and kept them for myself.” At this confession the camel seller was a bit flabbergasted and quickly emptied the pouch to count the jewels. However, he was very confused. “All my jewels are here. What jewels did you keep???”
“The two most precious” said the merchant: “My INTEGRITY and my SELF-RESPECT.”
How would you explain integrity to a young child? Roger Jenkins explains it as “The ability to do the right thing or choosing to do the right thing when you could get away with doing the wrong thing.”
Moving on to Kindness and Compassion, I would like to leave you with some beautiful vignettes I have received!!! We should be slow to judge people in almost every circumstance of life!!! For instance, those who like to pay the bill do so not because they are loaded but because they value friendship above money!!! There are many complications behind them which are hard to understand; which is why we should never only focus on the surface and judge others without understanding them first!!! Those who take the initiative at work, do so not because they are stupid but because they understand the concept of responsibility!!! Those who apologize first after a fight, do so not because they are wrong but because they value the people around them!!! Those who are willing to help you do so not because they owe you anything but because they see you as a true friend!!! Those who often text you do so not because they have nothing better to do but because you are in their heart!!!
When we dwell on kindness and compassion, we would do well to remember that one day all of us will be separated from each other and we will miss our conversations of everything and nothing and the dreams that we had!!! Days, months and years will pass into nothing, then one day our children will see our pictures and ask “Who are these people?” and we will smile with invisible tears because our hearts are touched with remembrance and we will say: “It was them that I had the best days of my life with!!!” Someday everything will make perfect sense, so for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourselves that everything happens for a reason!!! Respect people who find time for you in their busy schedules, but love those who never look at their schedule when you need them!!! That is the true essence of kindness and compassion!!! Spend more time with people who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you!!!
When we dwell on kindness and compassion, we would do well to remember that one day all of us will be separated from each other and we will miss our conversations of everything and nothing and the dreams that we had
Always be ready to show compassion especially to the weak; remember that wisdom is often acquired when we stumble, not when we succeed!!! Our defeats leave us wiser than our triumphs!!! By faith we live, through love, kindness and compassion we serve not only those around us but the whole human race and through patience we understand!!! Through the travails of trials we gain wisdom, by sharing we give joy but it is only through serving God we make our life complete!!! Extending one hand to help somebody has more value than joining two hands in prayer!!!
There will always be people in your life who treat you Wrong, be sure to thank them for making you Strong!!! Remember that no candle loses its light while lighting another candle; so never stop sharing and helping others because it makes your life more meaningful!!! Just remember that every pain teaches us a lesson and every lesson makes us better human beings!!! There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others; that is kindness coupled with compassion!!! I once asked an old sage in India, “Tell me Sir, in which field could I make a great career?” He said with a smile: “Be a good human being. There is a huge opportunity in this area and very little competition.” Ellen DeGeneres said: “I think we need more love in the world. We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that.” DO YOU???
The Voice
