Everyone is your teacher

 

Know that you are a student forever. Do not underestimate anybody. Knowledge may come to you from any corner. Remember the ancient saying – let knowledge flow to me from all the sides.  

Each occasion teaches you and each person teaches you. The world is your teacher. When you are always looking to learn, you will stop underestimating others. Humility will dawn in your life.  

There is a nice story. A man earned a lot of money and then gave all his property to his son. The son then built a small house behind his big house and told his parents, “Now you have to stay there.” So the old couple stayed there, while the son and his family lived in the bungalow.  

One day, while playing, the grandchild came to his grandfather's home, where everything was in a pathetic condition. The grandchild said, “Grandpa, be careful with your plate and chair. Don't break them.”  

When he asked why, the child said, “Because tomorrow, my father will need them.” One does not realise this fact. You are also going to be old one day.

Random acts of kindness

 

Abiding in the self you become the valentine for the whole world. Spirit is the valentine of matter, and matter is the valentine of spirit. They are made for each other. They uphold each other.  

If you do not respect the spirit, then matter is not pleased. If you honor the spirit, you care for the world, and when you care for the world it will take care of you.

You are the Christmas tree. At the time of year when no tree bears anything, it has many gifts to offer. A Christmas tree bears the gifts and the lights not for itself. Similarly, all the gifts you are carrying in your life are for others. Anyone who comes to you, you offer them your gifts.

When you show kindness, your true nature comes into play. Have you ever done acts of kindness without expecting anything out of it? Our service should not be mechanical.

Once some boy scouts were at a Sunday service, when the priest said, “You should serve.” They asked, “What is this service? Could you give us some example?” He said, “Suppose an old lady wants to cross a road, go and help her cross the road.”  

So the boys went and looked for a whole week, but there was no old woman trying to cross the road. Finally four of them found a woman walking on a footpath. One of the boys went and asked her, “Madam, would you like to cross the road?” She turned and said, “No.” He was disappointed.  

So another boy went and asked her again, thinking, perhaps, that the first boy hadn't asked properly. The woman was now a little bit confused. She wondered why she was being asked this. So, she said it was all right for him to take her across the road.  

Once they had reached the other side, a third boy came and asked her, “Would you like to cross the road?” Now it really bothered her. When the fourth one approached her, she almost screamed and ran away.  

You don't have to plan acts of kindness. Just do it spontaneously. When you do random acts of kindness, you come in touch with your true nature.