Works of Mercy

Mitzvah
San Miguel de Allende, Gto, Mx

We hand folks over to God's mercy, and show none ourselves. 

George Eliot

Most recently, the American people were subjected to needless stress by the egos and blind ideologies of their Congressmen. Those elected to protect the people and the US Constitution instead saw fit to seize the bully pulpit to extol the views of their corporate benefactors. In the final analysis, none of us was in the equation.  You see most of us do not fit in to that cozy five percent who are extremely wealthy and choose not to pay more taxes.  The vary same responsible for the global financial disaster predicated on greed's cousin avarice do not want to share the burden of the wars and financial ruin they precipitated.  It's not a pleasant reflection on our society and government.

Today, however, I experienced a glimmer of hope. As I was standing in the express grocery lane, I saw something unusual; it gave my jaded heart hope and made me fight back tears.  There I was standing in line with only two items, sponges, and the lady in front of me had many items including a bouquet of flowers.  In my mind she was slowing up the process; I was indignant and impatient.  

There had to be a reason for all of this. Then I started to put the pieces together. On the other side of her, past the cashier loading up their cart was a middle aged lady in a wheel chair, her child, and her husband helping her.  The lady in front of me swiped her debit card but I noticed that it was not for her own bill.  She was paying for the groceries of this needy couple.

When I got to the cashier, I asked:  "Did that lady, just pay the groceries for those folks?"

"Yes", the cashier from India responded.  She added, "that lady doesn't even know them."  "God will bless this lady many times over."

There's something fundamentally wrong with a government that chooses not to demonstrate mercy towards its own people.  However, there is something truly right about what I witnessed today.  I wish I could say that the story ended at the store, but it didn't.  As I walked out, I saw the unidentified lady approach the couple again and gave them her bouquet of flowers she had intended for herself.

What would happen if each of us took it upon himself/herself to engage in random acts of mercy?  How would this change your perception of our world? What if you started to do more than just what was expected of you? What would happen if you actually demonstrated that you cared rather than just say I am sorry? Actions really do speak louder than words.