Sometimes the schemes of geniuses can require recovery time and meditative, restorative repasts. This occurred for me last evening at Walmart. The roving helpmate Walmart provides in the self-checkout area graciously offered to help this old man with his checkout. She was genuinely kind and helpful and a great feeling of humility overcame me.
On my way out, however, I noticed she had overlooked a small watchband that had hidden itself in one corner of the cart basket. With a tremendous feeling of goodwill towards the store due to their thoughtful employee, I immediately turned around and waited for her to have a free moment. I mentioned the unscanned watchband; she thanked me and turned to scan the item and process my credit card.
I told her she had taught me a very important lesson tonight. Often we think of kindness bearing fruit with reciprocal kindness. The lesson I learned tonight, I told her, is that kindness can elicit from the goodwill spawned in the heart a practical and operative measure of honesty and integrity. (What if my initial employee encounter had been characterized by insensitivity satiated with manipulation and cruelty; would I have turned around like honest Abe to ensure an honest charge… or would I have l left the building feeling fully justified in my fortuitous heist--regretting only that the watchband was not made of solid gold?)
I told her she had taught me a very important lesson tonight. Often we think of kindness bearing fruit with reciprocal kindness. The lesson I learned tonight, I told her, is that kindness can elicit from the goodwill spawned in the heart a practical and operative measure of honesty and integrity. (What if my initial employee encounter had been characterized by insensitivity satiated with manipulation and cruelty; would I have turned around like honest Abe to ensure an honest charge… or would I have l left the building feeling fully justified in my fortuitous heist--regretting only that the watchband was not made of solid gold?)
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