Be good to others

Photo credit

Have you ever noticed that in a dark room, when you turn on the light for others to see, you also shine a beam of light on yourself. If you try to hide your light from others, you also risk hiding it from yourself. What this implies is that you the good you do to others, in a way benefits you too. If you have this mindset, you don't need anyone to push you to do good.

I once read a story about a farmer who had a maize farm. However, the one thing that he did that surprised everyone was that in the beginning of every planting season, he shared the special maize seeds he has with other nearby cultivators without worrying about them being his competitors. He did this on the first planting and he and the neighboring farmers got a good harvest.

He did this at the beginning of every planting season. When a local was curious why a farmer always shares his best seeds with neighboring farmers, he gave a very insightful and inspiring answer. He explained to them that he was doing it for his farm.

He said, when butterflies and bees come to pollinate his farm, they can be found in a scattering of crops grown on nearby farms on the trees on his farm. Obviously, if his neighbor has bad plants, the pollen will destroy his farm. But since his neighbor already has some good plants from his hybrid seeds, there is no need to worry. See, even self-sacrifice benefits him in some way.

The same thing happens when you show kindness to others or allow them to see your light. You will agree with me that he who enlightens others will not walk in darkness. I remember a real experience my friend told me about. In their village, at a certain time of the year, they suffer from a lack of water, so everyone will gather in a central well to get water.

One morning, they came to the well as usual to fetch water (my friend was there too). On arrival there was a long queue so he checked in. About 20 minutes later, it was his turn to see an elderly woman join the queue. He said to himself: How can this woman wait so long to get water? The next thing he did surprised everyone. He left his spot for the woman, and then took the woman's spot.

Now the woman enters the line and after a few seconds the woman goes to get the water. After the woman went to fetch water, my friend also offered to help her carry it. At least when he comes back it will be his turn, instead of standing in line and waiting. A noble gesture that left the woman speechless.

When they got to the old woman's house he dropped the water and was about to go, the old woman called him and asked him some personal questions about what he did and everything. The man explains to the woman that he applied for admission to a university but was not on the shortlist, so he is waiting next year to try his luck again. It was then the woman told him that her son was the head of department in that University that he had taken part in the admission process and that he would be coming home next week.

She asked the man to meet her son. And when the woman's son came home, she told him of her kindness to her son. When the man finally visited the woman's son at the woman's house, the son asked him a very simple question: "Do you want study sociology? He said yes. Immediately, the son of the woman got his contact information, and within a month another list was published and his name appeared at the top of the list.

Now my friend has graduated from University. You see, it was his tenderness towards a woman that opened the way for him. With this, you can see why it is important to sieze every opportunity you have to do good to others.