Paying Attention Works

Someone who heard my talk the other day on "Pay attention, Do good," called me today. She said that her sister called at 1am on the day after the talk to say that she thought her leg was broken and her husband was out of town. At 1am, my friend couldn't remember which was said first, but told her sister that she'd come right over to take her to the hospital.

On the way to her sister's house, my friend saw a young woman with a long skirt, short jacket, and no scarf walking along the road. This was on a cold night when it was snowing. But the woman was approaching a lighted gas station and not knowing her sister's condition my friend drove another mile down the road, quickly got her sister into the car, and drove back on the same road. Explaining about the young woman, my friend watched the roadside very carefully trying to spot the woman. She was hoping the woman had stopped at the gas station.

Then the woman was spotted still walking alongside the road. My friend pulled over and asked the woman if they could give her a ride. She was hesitant but then got into the car and said she was going to a gas station where her brother worked. My friend drove her there and the two sisters watched as the young woman was met by her brother.  

We had also discussed in the class what emotions could set in after paying attention and doing good. We could feel proud that we had acted. We could want to tell others what we had done. My friend said she learned another way to feel. Motivated by the good feeling of having been paying attention and doing good, she was looking for more opportunities to do the same. But the next time she would not tell anyone else about what she had done.  

Comments

[Richard Ingate]

It is such a support to read offerings that reflect my current thoughts and areas of work. Sometimes my practice becomes refraining form telling everyone my story. Sometimes I manage not to, which gives me an opportunity to watch the mind moving. Other times I give in and part of me watches karma being created.

[Joan Girton]

This story was very meaningful to me. I try to practice Randon Acts of Kinndness and not tell anyone about it and almost always some good thing comes to me after I have done this. Now I wonder if, subconsciously,I continue to do this hoping something good will come
to me, which of course negates the whole thing. Our minds are so amazing to try to understand!