Today's post is from an article in The Guardian from the United Kingdom. It embodies the kind of world we should all strive to live in. It is about a family who for years did community service and helped others, and instilled the practice in their children.
What I love about this article is that these people went out of their way to dedicate their time, not their money. They were not well off. They were not asked by any organization to volunteer. They never expected acknowledgment. They simply lived a life that included helping others. Even after the matriarch of the family lost her sight, she helped to raise awareness about the condition.
It may not be reasonable to expect people to volunteer EVERY day as these people did, but there are lessons we can all learn from them:
* Living a life of doing good can be anything that helps others. This can be as simple as treating people respectfully no matter what. Saying hello to a stranger. Give compliments. Smile as you approach people walking. Give spare change without judgment. Offer to carry someone's bag. Give up your seat on the bus/train.
* Sometimes what people remember most is not how much money they give but how much of themselves they give.
* Doing something because it is the right thing to do leads to a life of fulfillment. These people have countless stories of people they may have only encountered once. Memories of these experiences could have been relived when shared with friends.
* It shows that good deeds and civility are contagious. Can you imagine a world where good deeds spread as rampant as rumors? It is possible.
I hope the article sparks something in you like it did me.
This is an article that inspires me
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