In college I took a philosophy class. An ethics class to be specific. I was constantly amazed at the level of semantic divisions that could be made on a seemingly simple concept. One such concept we studied was "being nice."
When Heather was in acupuncture school she came home one day with the following thought:
"Does what you do honor your ancestors and serve the children who will follow you?"
At first blush my reaction was "What about me? What about what's good for me?"
However every time I hear her say those words in conversation they ring loudly in my ears for several days and weeks.
"Do your actions honor your ancestors and serve the children who will follow you?"
It is an edict that can be carried into every aspect of your life. Your inter/intra-personal relationships, your choice of profession, your hobbies, your spiritual studies and practices, and your politics.
"Do your actions honor your ancestors and serve the children?"
It is a long term view - one that places us within a context of generations and time. A context we've not wholly embraced since the "ME" generation of the 80's when self-actualization ruled and we all sought to rid ourselves of whatever we perceived to be "baggage."
"Do your actions honor those who came before you and serve those who will follow you?"
Are you being...nice?
Being Nice
Moderator: Available
-
Dana Sheets
- Posts: 2715
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:01 am
Being Nice
Did you show compassion today?
-
jorvik
Well I remember something that happened one Christmas 
I pulled the car over to the kerb by the drugstore. Just in time to see this hippy pushing a pram with a toddler in it across another road, and just behind a car going in the other direction. Anyway a woman got out of the car and shouted at the hippy saying that he was a fool for going behind the car and that she was pregnant and wouldn't do anything so dam stupid, she really took off on this guy, who looked a bit depressed before this anyway
.....he started to get a bit irrate himself.then she threw the final line.You are a terrible Father!!..........and went into the drugstore.
The hippy was going berserk now.absolutely furious...So .What to do?
I engaged him in conversation.
He said "Do you think I'm a terrible Father?
I said "no".then he said Why did she say that I was ??................I struggled to reply
........and instantly said "She is pregnant.her hormones will make her be like that"...............and he just looked at me
and said "Yeah....Yeah thanks mate
...Happy Christmas"and walked away
I felt like the greatest Karate Master ever
.........I diffused a potentially violent encounter, protected a pregnant woman, made an angry man happy............and all with a few words 
I pulled the car over to the kerb by the drugstore. Just in time to see this hippy pushing a pram with a toddler in it across another road, and just behind a car going in the other direction. Anyway a woman got out of the car and shouted at the hippy saying that he was a fool for going behind the car and that she was pregnant and wouldn't do anything so dam stupid, she really took off on this guy, who looked a bit depressed before this anyway
.....he started to get a bit irrate himself.then she threw the final line.You are a terrible Father!!..........and went into the drugstore.The hippy was going berserk now.absolutely furious...So .What to do?
I engaged him in conversation.
He said "Do you think I'm a terrible Father?
I said "no".then he said Why did she say that I was ??................I struggled to reply
........and instantly said "She is pregnant.her hormones will make her be like that"...............and he just looked at meand said "Yeah....Yeah thanks mate
...Happy Christmas"and walked awayI felt like the greatest Karate Master ever
.........I diffused a potentially violent encounter, protected a pregnant woman, made an angry man happy............and all with a few words -
Rick Wilson
