Thursday 29 November 2012

Such A Small Thing

 “A small matter,” said the Ghost, “to make these silly folks so full of gratitude.”
“Small!” echoed Scrooge.
The Spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices, who were pouring out their hearts in praise of Fezziwig: and when he had done so, said, “Why! Is it not? He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four perhaps. Is that so much that he deserves this praise?”
“It isn’t that,” said Scrooge, heated by the remark, “He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

Jennifer Foster was visiting New York with her boyfriend on November 14 when she came across a shoeless man asking for change. As she was about to approach, she said a police officer came up to the man with a pair of all-weather boots and thermal socks.
Mrs Foster quoted the policeman, Officer DePrimo, as saying 'I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather. Let's put them on and take care of you'.
Miss Foster said that the homeless man 'smiled from ear to ear' after getting the boots and it was if someone had given him a million dollars.
We sometimes forget that despite all the horror stories in our newspapers and on the television, that there are many random acts of human kindness going on unreported all the time.
'The happiness he gave, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune'. Such a small thing but quite as great as if it cost a fortune'. Indeed it is.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

you hit a primary reason that i participate in numerous mission trips each year. when you do something for someone in person the value far exceeds the price or cost.

the same person getting the same thing from the government is typically unappreciative and soon develop a sense of entitlement (and why not since our welfare and social centers are plastered with signs that say YOU HAVE A RIGHT, instead of OTHER PEOPLE'S TAXES ENABLE THIS GIFT FOR YOU).

q

Lucy said...

I was with you right up until you began lashing out at the poorest in your society again. Your honoury membership of the South England Socialist Association will be rebuked at this rate.

Anonymous said...

lucy, i wasn't impugning the poor. i was impugning our misguided socail programs that keep them poor. can i get back in the club now?

q