FOODFORTHOUGHT

James Bender, in his book How To Talk Well (New York: Mcgraw-Hill Book
Co. Inc.1994), relates the story of a farmer who grew award-winning
corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair it won a blue
ribbon.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something
interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the
farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors
when they are entering in competition with yours each year?" the
reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen
from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my
neighbors grow inferior corn, cross pollination will steadily degrade
the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my
neighbors grow good corn."

He is much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve
unless his neighbor's corn also improves.

So it is with our lives.Those who choose to live in peace must help
their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must
help others to live well, for the value of life is measured by the
lives it touches. And those who chose to be happy must help others to
find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare
of all.

So if you have something good, don't keep it to yourself but share it.
It is when we give that we receive...and much more.