“Valentines, Samaritans, and More Random Acts” Feb. 12, 2021
(Note: Since I already took up a lot of space in my description of my “UU Catechism” above, I will write just a few notes for this column.)
When I wrote my column last Friday about random acts of kindness, I asked you to send me some examples from your own lives. Here are a few, right in time for Valentine’s Day!
“When I was young and fit, I would clear the snow off other people’s cars in the parking lot where I worked. My husband and son stop to help stranded motorists, or shovel people out, or jump their dead batteries. In fact, my son put a towing hitch on his truck, and carries towing straps so he can tow people out if they’ve gone off the road.”
“We were in line for Indian Summerfest, when we saw a single mom and her 2 kids leave the line because they thought it was free and didn’t have the money. So we paid for them.”
“When we were still going into the office, I would scrape the snow off the windows of the cars to either side of me before I headed home. That was fun. I never hung around to see the looks on their faces.”
“At a fast-food drive-through, we paid for the car behind us, as well as for one in front.”
“We were out for a wedding-anniversary dinner at an expensive restaurant, when we saw two young active-duty Navy sailors come in. Knowing that they probably would find it difficult to afford the high prices, we picked up the tab for them before we left.”
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Many of you, I’m sure, are familiar with Jesus’s parable of the Good Samaritan, which tells about a man who is ambushed on the road to Jericho–robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest comes along and, seeing the man, passes by on the other side. A Levite also comes along and passes by. Then a Samaritan comes and takes care of the man, binding up his wounds, putting him on his own camel, and paying for him to stay (and recover) at an inn. “Take this money,” he says to the innkeeper, “and take care of this man. When I come back this way I will pay whatever it costs you.”
Talk about a random act of kindness! Remember: The priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all represent ways of acting towards other people.
We can choose to
1) beat up,
2) pass up, or
3) lift up.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. Along with, of course,
Peace and unrest, my friends. Peace and unrest.
tony
