BE THE BLESSING
Sr. Dorothy is a live wire. You rarely escape from her without being 'charged'. I bumped into her, last evening, on her way to one of her regular house visits.
"Hello Sister," I greeted. "A very happy new year to you."
Sister stretched her hand forward to charge me. "To you, too."
"Give me your blessings," I folded my hands.
"My sister tells me, we should take blessing, give blessing ... and, above all, we should 'be the blessing'," Sister brought my hands down.
"Wow," I exclaimed, "What a thought: 'Be the Blessing'!"
Sister went on to share with me her interpretation of this phrase.
On my way home, I reflected on it. I remembered two similar statements I had heard or read before.
The first one. It was some years ago, when Fr. Rupak had dropped in while one of our Workshops was in progress. At the end, I had requested Father to share with the youngsters some of his insights. He drew on the board two pictures, and asked the youngsters, "Can you tell me what these are?"
"One is a SIGN and the other is a SYMBOL," the class had echoed.
"Correct," Father said. Then, he concluded, "In life, we do have this choice: to be just a SIGN POST, or the 'way and the destination' - the 'living SYMBOLS' - ourselves."
It has remained etched in my mind, even after years.
The second one. Dr. Stephen Covey talks about it in his remarkable book - 'Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People'. In fact, Dr. Covey quotes Gandhi there:
"If you wish to see the change in others, and in situations, first 'be that change'. Be an agent of that change - a catalyst."
It is tough. It is extremely 'proactive'.
Sr. Dorothy knew, more than her blessings, I needed to know this truth.
And, I did not escape from her without being charged!
The 'Sign Post' quickly disssolved into a 'Symbol' - a 'blessing'!
GERALD D'CUNHA
"Hello Sister," I greeted. "A very happy new year to you."
Sister stretched her hand forward to charge me. "To you, too."
"Give me your blessings," I folded my hands.
"My sister tells me, we should take blessing, give blessing ... and, above all, we should 'be the blessing'," Sister brought my hands down.
"Wow," I exclaimed, "What a thought: 'Be the Blessing'!"
Sister went on to share with me her interpretation of this phrase.
On my way home, I reflected on it. I remembered two similar statements I had heard or read before.
The first one. It was some years ago, when Fr. Rupak had dropped in while one of our Workshops was in progress. At the end, I had requested Father to share with the youngsters some of his insights. He drew on the board two pictures, and asked the youngsters, "Can you tell me what these are?"
"One is a SIGN and the other is a SYMBOL," the class had echoed.
"Correct," Father said. Then, he concluded, "In life, we do have this choice: to be just a SIGN POST, or the 'way and the destination' - the 'living SYMBOLS' - ourselves."
It has remained etched in my mind, even after years.
The second one. Dr. Stephen Covey talks about it in his remarkable book - 'Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People'. In fact, Dr. Covey quotes Gandhi there:
"If you wish to see the change in others, and in situations, first 'be that change'. Be an agent of that change - a catalyst."
It is tough. It is extremely 'proactive'.
Sr. Dorothy knew, more than her blessings, I needed to know this truth.
And, I did not escape from her without being charged!
The 'Sign Post' quickly disssolved into a 'Symbol' - a 'blessing'!
GERALD D'CUNHA
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