Givers or Takers?

Yesterday on the underground I sat near a blind man. His face was happy, as if in a permanent smile, and his eyes were lively -- actually one would not know that tell he was blind were it not for the white cane going he was holding.

The metro stopped and it was time for him to get off. All of a sudden five people stood up to help him. It was as if we were all competing to see who could get to him first and let him hold our arm. As if we were all thirsty for the opportunity to give this some innocent and unconditional love, stored in some corner of the soul, to this man. I suppose I was not the only one to perceive the nice warm feeling, after that incident, in the whole compartment -- like some magic fragrance being spread into the atmosphere.

He was there, this blind man was the medium to allow this love to be manifest. He was there as a guardian angel to us all, inspiring the benevolence we all have and surely under-use. This was his 'good deed' for the day: to let us give. How funny that we all initially thought we were helping him!