James Bender, in his book How to Talk Well (New York: McGraw-Hill Book
Co., Inc., 1994), relates the story of 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 neighbors.
"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors
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
neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade
the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my
neighbors grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot
improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.
So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help
their neighbors 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 neighbors grow good corn.
Steve Goodier Publisher@... is a professional
speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site for
more information, or to sign up for his FREE newsletter of Life, Love
and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.