Nature and the secret of living

IN 1892 at Standford University, an 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees.
He was an orphan and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea.
He and a fellow student friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their school fees.
They reached out to the great pianist, lgnancy J. Paderewski.
His manager demanded a guarantee fee of $2,000 for the piano recital.
A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.
The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets.
The total they collected from ticket sales was only $1,600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight.
They gave him the entire $1,600 plus a cheque for the balance of $400. They promised to honor the cheque at the soonest possible.
“No,” Paderewski said. “This is not acceptable.”
He tore up the cheque, returned the $1,600 and told the two boys. “Here’s the $1,600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred.
Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left after you settled your outstanding fees.”
The boys were surprised and thanked him profusely. It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a great human being.
Why should he help two people he did not even know?
We all come across situations like this in our lives. And most of us only think. “If I help them, what will happen to me?”
The truly great people think: “If I don’t help them, what will happen to them?”
They don’t do it expecting something in return. They do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do.
Paderewski later on went on to become the prime minister of Poland.
He was a great leader but, unfortunately when the World War began, Poland was ravaged.
There were more than 1.5 million people starving in his country and no money to buy food to feed his people from hunger and starvation.
Paderewski did not know where to turn to for help.
He reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help.
He heard there was a man called Herbert Hoover – who later went on to become the US president.
Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tonnes of food grains to feed the starving Polish people. A calamity was averted.
Paderewski was relieved. He decided to go across to meet Hoover and personally thank him.
When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his noble gesture, Hoover quickly interjected and said: “You shouldn’t be thanking me, Mr Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college. I was one of them.”
The world is a wonderful place. What goes around – comes around. Please help others to the best of your ability.
In the long run you may be helping yourself. God never forgets anyone who sows a good seed in other people, never.
Nothing in nature lives for itself.
Rivers don’t drink their own water.
Trees don’t eat their own fruit.
Sun doesn’t give heat for itself.
Flowers don’t spread fragrance for themselves.
Living for others is the rule of nature. And therein lies the secret of living.

Paul Minga
POM