on anonymizing niceness
Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
yesterday, when i drove from fremont to foster city, i was elated to have the chance to pay the toll. not only for myself, but for the person behind me as well - a 'random act of kindness' i'd been waiting to do for ages. but she did find out, even if she didn't know me. is the point lost, then? that doesn't sound right :), for there would be no other way for her to know that she didn't need to pay toll herself.
the point, rather, is that be they little acts or large, the 'doer' isn't quite the doer, but a mere instrument. with that understanding, one is ever aware of one's humble beginnings. then it matters not who those 'people' are and whether they will find out.
anyway, i think we could all safely consider the first half of the statement - "make it a habit to do nice things," and the world will be instantly bettered. the second half can safely come second, yeah?
yesterday, when i drove from fremont to foster city, i was elated to have the chance to pay the toll. not only for myself, but for the person behind me as well - a 'random act of kindness' i'd been waiting to do for ages. but she did find out, even if she didn't know me. is the point lost, then? that doesn't sound right :), for there would be no other way for her to know that she didn't need to pay toll herself.
the point, rather, is that be they little acts or large, the 'doer' isn't quite the doer, but a mere instrument. with that understanding, one is ever aware of one's humble beginnings. then it matters not who those 'people' are and whether they will find out.
anyway, i think we could all safely consider the first half of the statement - "make it a habit to do nice things," and the world will be instantly bettered. the second half can safely come second, yeah?
2 comments:
hmm...i think the point is to be able to do (and to want to do) acts of kindness without the need for any form of acknowledgement.
not literally without the other person knowing that something good has been done to him/her :)
yes, need/desire. nishkama karma, yet again :).
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