“How is your coffee?” asked Amoun.
“Fine,” I replied.
Amoun took a sip of his coffee and we sat enjoying the silence. Then, Amoun continued with the lesson.
“You see, most people make a show of giving to another. They want their name in the newspaper or a sign on the wall dedicated to them. Yet, giving to those in need is a basic requirement of being a human being. There is nothing special to giving to those in need; it is a social duty to others. Wanting recognition for doing your duty is wishing to get paid twice for the same activity. Our payment is the good feelings we get and knowing that we are trying to help another. This is a basic requirement of life; we must try to help our brother. If someone is hungry shouldn’t we try to feed them?”
I replied, “Yes. I understand but some of those people were using your money to buy liquor and drugs, but isn’t that wrong; providing the opportunity for someone to hurt themselves?”
Amoun looked deeply into my eyes and continued in a serious tone, “Does not the sun shine for everyone? If some choose to lie in the sun for hours without proper sunscreen and develop illness, is the sun to fault? Should the sun refuse to shine because some choose to misuse it? What about all the others who draw life and sustenance from the life giving rays?”
With an embarrassed look on my face, I realized how limited my view of the situation had been.
Amoun continued, “In this matter there are two aspects to consider. First, giving to others is a natural part of life and is a basic requirement of the universe. Without giving there would be no life or existence as we know it. What you saw today was at the lower range of this continuum; there are many forms of giving which are at a higher and finer level.
“One example is giving without the person asking. The giver perceives the need and gives anonymously. In this way, the recipient is not indebted to a particular person and is prevented the embarrassment of having to ask. This is only one example and on the spiritual level, there are higher levels to giving. The point of my explanation is that you made more of this activity than is necessary. My giving to those people was not a spiritual activity but a social duty. It was part of my basic responsibility as a human being.
“Because some wish to confuse social duty with spiritual activity, I do not have to be limited by this model.”
“Second, the fact that some choose to use what they have been given to harm themselves, in this matter that is beyond my control. I give because they are in need and the fact that some choose to kill pain of their lonely life with alcohol and drugs, is between them and their God. Perhaps, one day, these poor souls will reach higher and I will be there for them as I am here for you. Who can tell the destiny of a life? Each comes to God in their time.”
“I did not create these people, or the circumstances that led them to make their home in the Park. I cannot judge their pain or suffering and do not know the outcome of their life. Spiritually, they are in the hands of another who loves them more than you or I can love them. God is always there and will be waiting when they are ready to come home. Today my duty to them was a social duty, nothing more. In this matter, there are limitations to my activity.”
________
This discussion is a follow-up to points raised in “The Teacher’s Job;” which was taken from Book #1, Journey of Light: Trilogy.
Also by Dr. Bitkoff, A Commuter’s Guide to Enlightenment, Llewellyn, 2008 and Journey of Light: Trilogy, Authorhouse, 2004. These books are available on Amazon.Com or from publisher.
To contact author go to: www.stewartbitkoff.com or e-mail: goldpath@ptd.net.
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