A Jeni To Feed
A young boy in Scout uniform offers to help the old lady across the street, a simple example of a 'good deed' he has been taught to do each day. The lady declines the offer, saying "Thanks, but, I am able to walk across by myself.”
The lady has asserted her independence and her physical ability to navigate the intersection without help. She understands this to be the full meaning of the exchange.
However, she is overlooking her withholding from the boy the pleasure of doing his good turn for the day and his feeling of pride in being of assistance to a stranger.
The incident may be of little consequence to either of the parties involved, but it brings to mind the importance of considering the results of our actions, however small they may appear to be.
Within all of us is a tiny creature [let’s call it “Jeni”] whose livelihood depends on spoken words, physical actions or bodily expressions of people with whom we associate. It is easy to ignore the Jeni of others, even to feel that we have no responsibility for his welfare. As for ourselves, we may even deny having such a creature in our being.
Though often neglected, or even denied, it is a fact that we, the person we are, is made up of the collection of expressions, thoughts, deeds and attitudes experienced in our life. Many of these items were created and given to us by other persons or by circumstances outside of our control. Nevertheless, we have these items and they are what make us who we are. Fortunately, we have the ability to search out, identify and evaluate these items and understand their influence and significance in our lives.
Getting back to the little old lady at the street corner, we want to implore her to consider the Jeni of the young boy and graciously accept his offer to escort her across the street, not for her safety, but as a kindly gift to him.
For the rest of us, I would like to have us develop the skill of gracious acceptance of gifts from whatever source they come. I would like for us to be conscious of the gift we are giving to the donor by this acceptance. Even though the other person may fail to realize it as a gift, we will be better for the addition of this action to our life’s experience collection.
Jerry Clements
10/4/05
A young boy in Scout uniform offers to help the old lady across the street, a simple example of a 'good deed' he has been taught to do each day. The lady declines the offer, saying "Thanks, but, I am able to walk across by myself.”
The lady has asserted her independence and her physical ability to navigate the intersection without help. She understands this to be the full meaning of the exchange.
However, she is overlooking her withholding from the boy the pleasure of doing his good turn for the day and his feeling of pride in being of assistance to a stranger.
The incident may be of little consequence to either of the parties involved, but it brings to mind the importance of considering the results of our actions, however small they may appear to be.
Within all of us is a tiny creature [let’s call it “Jeni”] whose livelihood depends on spoken words, physical actions or bodily expressions of people with whom we associate. It is easy to ignore the Jeni of others, even to feel that we have no responsibility for his welfare. As for ourselves, we may even deny having such a creature in our being.
Though often neglected, or even denied, it is a fact that we, the person we are, is made up of the collection of expressions, thoughts, deeds and attitudes experienced in our life. Many of these items were created and given to us by other persons or by circumstances outside of our control. Nevertheless, we have these items and they are what make us who we are. Fortunately, we have the ability to search out, identify and evaluate these items and understand their influence and significance in our lives.
Getting back to the little old lady at the street corner, we want to implore her to consider the Jeni of the young boy and graciously accept his offer to escort her across the street, not for her safety, but as a kindly gift to him.
For the rest of us, I would like to have us develop the skill of gracious acceptance of gifts from whatever source they come. I would like for us to be conscious of the gift we are giving to the donor by this acceptance. Even though the other person may fail to realize it as a gift, we will be better for the addition of this action to our life’s experience collection.
Jerry Clements
10/4/05
posted by Jeremiah | 3:15 PM
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