Pass It On
Life's true treasures are those we can share with others without ever reducing our own supply. Traits like kindness, courage, and happiness have no expiration dates. They can be transferred from life to life and shared from generation to generation, with each new reflection further brightening the world.
Among the most ennobling aspects of the human family is our ability to share what we feel and to teach what we know. By sharing the things that have enriched our lives, we make the world a better place. Through explanation and example, we can increase our own joy by offering it to others. As one expressed it: "Have you had a kindness shown? Pass it on!"
The inherent powers of kindness, courage, and happiness lie in their ability to reproduce themselves when shared. Even the simplest acts of generosity and goodness may be amplified by grateful human hearts until they reach eternity. In ever-widening ripples—like those that silently spread after a rock is thrown into still pond—the influence of doing good to a single individual may expand in every direction.
By passing on the best that we know and the best that we are, we are changing the world—sometimes even during our daily routines. A new mother gently rocks her baby to sleep with a lullaby she learned from her grandmother. In snarled traffic a patient driver allows someone to merge, and that car's grateful driver extends the same courtesy to others. Members of a family extend the same warm welcome they received when they moved into the neighborhood to the next new arrivals.
Each day we have the chance to blaze trails of character and compassion that our families can follow. Each day we can share our happiness with friends and offer kindness to strangers. And each day we can be courageous and patient in enduring our trials. Ultimately, what we pass on to others will outlive us.
We become architects of eternity when we live the present moment well, using unselfish hands to share lasting values and to create timeless memories. Some of life's most enduring and inspiring gifts will forever bless the lives of others if we will simply remember to pass them on.
From The Spoken Word - Lloyd D. Newell - March 1, 1988