Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I went to visit my parents this past holiday weekend. During the trip, we went to visit my ailing uncle. He was in the hospital due to a heart attack. It was the second heart attack he had in the last four months and this time the doctors said it is really quite serious. The whole family has been wishing him thoughts and blessings of healing since he is the eldest one in our family and particularly because we hope he can live to see his son's upcoming wedding which is scheduled for next month. 

As I looked at the situation with all of its uncertainty, I began to think about the life this man lead. He is 60 years old. He has spent his whole life teaching low-income inner city school children whose families are primarily broken, that these youngsters have hope, because hope is priceless. When I went to see him one last time before I left to head back to my home, I brought my uncle a fruit basket with a smile card tucked inside. As I peered through the clear window of the the thick hospital door, I just saw barren white walls and my uncle lying and looking frail on the hospital bed. However, when I slowly opened the door to his hospital room, I discovered something much more. 

I saw a cluster of small children dangling beside my uncle's bed. I saw teenagers exchanging a few remarks with my uncle. I saw adults holding his hand closely with tears in their eyes. I saw that it was not only I who had such good thoughts about my uncle. I saw how he was not just a family member to me, but he was also a family member to many others: children, teenagers, adults, and the many people he helped at least once in his life through his teaching. They grew in his kindness and through kindness, they returned.  

I watched this beautiful movement and thought it was exactly the kind of life I wanted to live. If I have even one person who truly mourned for my loss when I die, not because I am gone, but because I helped that person grow, then I would feel that my life was worth living. I hope my uncle leaves the hospital soon. The children in our town are waiting for their teacher.