It is no measure of mental health
              to be well adjusted
             to a profoundly
     sick
society.
1

   Drop a pebble in the water:
   just a splash,
   and it is gone;

   But there's half-a-hundred ripples
   circling on and on
   and on,

           Spreading,
           spreading from the center,
           flowing on out to the sea.
           And there is no way of telling
                   where the end is going to be.

                   Drop a pebble in the water:
                   in a minute you forget,
                   But there's little waves a-flowing,
                   and there's ripples circling yet,

                   And those little waves a-flowing
                   to a great big wave have grown;
                           You've disturbed a mighty river
                           just by dropping in a stone.

                   My religion is kindness. 2

Drop an unkind word,
or careless:
in a minute it is gone;

   But there's half-a-hundred ripples
   circling on and on and on.

   They keep spreading,
   spreading,
           spreading from the center as they go,
           And there is no way to stop them,
                   once you've started them to flow.

                   Drop an unkind word,
                   or careless:
                   in a minute you forget;

                   But there's little waves a-flowing,
                   and there's ripples circling yet,

Three things in human life are important.
                     The first is to be kind.
                   The second is to be kind.
             And the third is to be kind.
3

                   And perhaps in some sad heart
                   a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
                   And disturbed a life was happy
                           ere you dropped that unkind word.

                           Drop a word of cheer and kindness:
                           just a flash and it is gone;
                           But there's half-a-hundred ripples
                                   circling on and on and on,

                                   Bearing hope and joy and comfort
                                   on each splashing, dashing wave
                                           Till you wouldn't believe the volume
                                           of the one kind word you gave.

                                   If you are kind,
           people may accuse you of selfish,
                                   ulterior motives,
                            or that you are weak;
                                 be kind anyway.
4

                                           Drop a word of cheer and kindness:
                                   in a minute you forget;
                           But there's gladness still a-swelling,
                   and there's joy circling yet,

                        If you are considerate,
                                   people will think
                       you have a hidden agenda,
                                       or are a wimp;
                       be considerate anyway.
5

   And you've rolled a wave of comfort
   whose sweet music can be heard
   Over miles and miles of water
just by dropping one kind word.
6
Treat everyone with politeness,
even those who are rude to you
- not because they are nice,
but because you are. 7


~And then there are such things
as divine love,

Bright and immaculate,
unmixed and pure,
Such as the angels think so very fine.~
                                   How far you go in life
                           depends on your being
                   tender with the young,
                   compassionate with the aged,
           sympathetic with the striving
           and tolerant of the weak and strong.
   Because someday in your life
   you will have been all of these.
8

                           Wherever there is a human being,
                      there is an opportunity for a kindness.
9
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Credits:
[1] ~Jiddu Krishnamurti
[2] ~Dalai Lama
[3]
~Henry James
[4] ~Mother Teresa
[5] ~Sensei Yoda
[6] -A Pebble  ~James W. Foley
[7] ~Author Unknown
[8] ~George Washington Carver
[9] ~Seneca
________________________________________________
MorningStar Inspirations from
Dawn Cove Abbey
Roadside Assistance For Your Journey Through Life
- Dedicated to helping people return (and maintain) sanity and decency to life -
_______________________________________________________
From the eBook: "One! The Journey hOMe", by Klaas Tuinman MA, © 2007-2017

Questions and comments welcomed.
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A Pebble: the ripple effect of our actions and words
This story is from the
"Good Reads" section of
the Library