Читать книгу Hope’s Daughters - R. Wayne Willis - Страница 86

Some of my friends e-mail me stories, corny jokes, or political commentaries that are just not my cup of tea, but I cannot bring myself to tell them to stop so I just grimace and touch the delete button. For some reason I opened one today. I am glad I did. It made me smile and think.

It seems a volunteer greeter who worked in the registration area of a large hospital sometimes showed up ten to fifteen minutes late for his shift. However, when on duty, he greeted everyone with a friendly, bright-eyed, hospitable smile. Everyone agreed he was a tremendous asset. One day the director of volunteers invited Sparky to join her for a cup of coffee. After praising his work ethic and chipper spirit, the manager asked: “I’m just a little curious. About half the time you show up a little late. I know you retired from the military. What did they say to you there when you came in late?”

Sparky answered: “They said, ‘Good morning, Admiral. Can I get your coffee, sir?’”

Some of the people I admire most are the rich and famous who have a servant heart. I think of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, some of the richest people in the world, who now are giving much energy and much of their fortunes to bless the world’s poorest and sickest. I think of Jimmy Carter who for over thirty years after finishing his presidential term has been volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, building houses for people who otherwise could never be homeowners.

Two quotations come to mind, the first from philosopher and Rabbi Abraham Heschel: “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”

The other comes from Indian poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted, and behold, service was joy.”