Growing Good Corn

There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbours.
"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbuors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbour's corn also improves.

So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbours to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbours grow good corn.

It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself (Proverbs 11:24-25)

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Sunglasses in the Custodian Closet ~ By Aurelia

I'm new to the Smile Cards, but here's my first experience with the cards.

I work in a school and after all the kids are gone for the day a sweet young lady Claire comes in to clean the school classrooms and offices. I'm there late once a week and I often chat for a few minutes with her.

She always makes me feel so good because she's not full of herself and instead she wants to hear about me or will talk about her children. Our conversations are always great.
Last week she wasn't her happy self and told me how her husband had lost his job of 15 years and that she didn't know what they would do without his income.

I wanted to cheer her up some how, but couldn't think of anything at that time. Later that week I was in a department store I noticed all the pretty summer clothing and racks of sunglasses. I tried on several pairs and finally found the perfect pair, and I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, then I thought, "Wow Claire would look great in these!" I already had a pair that would be fine again this year, so I bought the glasses for Claire.

I was too excited to wait until my one late night that I worked, so I put them in a pretty bag and left them in the custodians closet for her!
When I came in the next day a fellow employee told me that she was talking to Claire as she went to the closet and opened it. When Claire saw the bag and took out the sunglasses and read the Smile Card her face lit up! She put the glasses on and smiled a BIG grin. She said she hadn't had anything to smile about in a few days and it felt good.

She left me a note about how she was having a rough day and that my act of kindness meant so much to her. It made me feel good knowing that I got her the sunglasses instead of myself. I wish I could do more for her, but at least she knows I am thinking of her even when I'm not at work. I look forward to creating more Smile Moments.

The Joys of Being a Waitress By Babygirl

As a waitress you meet and see all types of people. I guess you could call it the melting pot of the highway because the food connects us all.
I was about to end my shift one afternoon when a group of people came in. As they sat down, they explained that they were trying to make it home and just had enough to buy their children a small snack and that all they needed was water. So I showed them a few things on the menu and asked them what they would like.

As I walked away to turn in their order, I just couldn't see this family leaving hungry with a snack and some water! So I asked some friends to join me in helping this family and they agreed because they know how I am when it comes to helping others and it gives them the fuzzy feeling of making a difference too.

So I went back to the table and quietly let the parents know that they could order what they wanted because it was taken care of by some strangers. At first, they didn't know what to say but with a smile and a glance at the menu, they kindly accepted.
When they left all you could see was smiles, and with a tear in my eye, I wished them a safe trip and asked them to stop by if they were ever in the area again.

I learn that with every kind gesture you connect with that person and the emotion it gives flows both ways. I guess you could say they brought me home to my heart that day and every day.