It's more blessed to give than to receive

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A LESSON

A young man, a student in one of the

 

universities, was one day taking a walk with

 

a professor, who was commonly called the

 

students' friend for his kindness to those

 

who waited on his instructions.

 

As they went along, they saw lying in the

 

path a pair of old shoes, which were supposed

 

to belong to a poor man who was working in a

 

field close by, and who had nearly finished

 

his day's work . . .

 

Student turned to the professor, saying: " Let

 

us play the man a trick: we will hide his

 

shoes, and hide ourselves behind those

 

bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when

 

he cannot find them ... "

 

" My young friend, " answered the professor,

 

" We should never amuse ourselves at the

 

expense of the poor . . . But you are rich,

 

and may give yourself a much greater pleasure

 

by means of this poor man.

 

Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will

 

hide ourselves and watch how this affects

 

him. " The student did so and they both placed

 

themselves behind the bushes close by. The

 

poor man soon finished his work, and came

 

across the field to the path where he had

 

left his coat and shoes . . .

 

While putting on his coat he slipped his foot

 

into one of his shoes, but feeling something

 

hard, he stooped down to feel what it was,

 

and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder

 

were seen upon his countenance.

 

He gazed upon the coin, turned it around and

 

looked at it again and again.

 

He then looked around him on all sides, but

 

no person was to be seen. He now put the

 

money into his pocket, and proceeded to put

 

on the other shoe; but his surprise was

 

doubled on finding the other coin . . .

 

His feelings overcame him . . . he fell upon

 

his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered

 

aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he

 

spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his

 

children without bread, whom this timely

 

bounty, from some unknown hand, would save

 

from perishing . . .

 

The student stood there deeply affected, and

 

his eyes filled with tears.

 

" Now, " said the professor, are you not much

 

better pleased than if you had played your

 

intended trick? "

 

The youth replied, " You have taught me a

 

lesson which I will never forget. .. I feel

 

now the truth of these words, which I never

 

understood before: " It's more blessed to give

 

than to receive. " REFLECTION

If you want happiness... .for a lifetime -

 

help someone! Let us touch the dying, the

 

poor, the lonely and the unwanted according

 

to the graces we have received and let us not

 

be ashamed or slow to do the humble work. If

 

everyone gives a thread, the poor man will

 

have a shirt!

Hari Om!!