67 From the time we’re old enough to understand, our parents and teachers tell us that it’s better to give than to receive. But I discovered something even better that evening: the pleasure of giving someone else the opportunity to give. It was a real education, seeing his face filled with joy -- the joy of a simple laborer, apparently content with his humble existence, elated that he had found another human being whose lot he could improve. On the way back down from the hills, I passed a wizened old woman standing on the stoop of her modest little house. Our eyes met. I smiled at her, and she smiled at me. “Good morning,” I said. “Good morning,” she said. “Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?” “Thank you,” I replied, and stepped into her home. We sat at the table, she and I and her granddaughter, I supposed. I sipped my tea and we said nothing, since there was little to say and little way to say it. After a few minutes I finished, stood up, thanked her, and went on my way. Three decades later these memories have barely faded. Without much common language, we connected in a way more enduring than if we had talked long into the night, a connection built upon a foundation of kindness, strengthened by mutual respect and caring, and sealed by the relentless exchange of smiles. It’s sad that we often fear to make that connection - because of race, because of politics, because of social status or, simply, because we’re too wrapped up in ourselves. The smallest act of kindness can build bridges across a continent. And a smile can span the universe - if we simply set it free. And once we do, there’s no telling what might happen next.
Rabbi Yonason Goldson, a talmudic scholar and
former hitchhiker, circumnavigator, and newspaper columnist, lives with his wife in St. Louis, Missouri, where he teaches, writes, and lectures. His latest book, Proverbial Beauty: Secrets for success and happiness from the wisdom of the ages, is available on Amazon. Visit him at http://proverbsandprovidence.com. The Wagon Magazine - September -2016