Pursuit of Enlightenment: The Joy of Giving and Receiving

Below is an excerpt from the book “The Man Nobody Knows” by Bruce Barton. I found it to be rather meaningful, and would like to share it with all of you.

The Man Nobody Knows by Bruce Barton.

There are two seas in Palestine. One is fresh, and fish are in it. Splashes of green adorn its banks. Trees spread their branches over it and stretch out their thirsty roots to sip of its healing waters.
…The River Jordan makes this sea with sparkling water from the hills. So it laughs in the sunshine. And men build their houses near to it, and birds their nests; and every kind of life is happier because it is there.
The River Jordan flows on south into another sea.
Here there is no splash of fish, no fluttering leaf, no song of birds, no children’s laughter. Travelers choose another route, unless on urgent business. The air hangs heavy above its water, and neither man nor beast nor fowl will drink.
What makes this mighty difference in these neighbor seas? Not the River Jordan. It empties the same good water into both. Not the soil in which they lie; not in the country round about.
This is the difference. The Sea of Galilee receives but does not keep the Jordan. For every drop that flows into it another drop flows out. The giving and receiving go on in equal measure.
The other sea is shrewder, hoarding its income jealously. It will not be tempted into any generous impulse. Every drop it gets, it keeps.
The Sea of Galilee gives and lives. The other sea gives nothing. It is named the Dead.
There are two kinds of people in this world. There are two seas in Palestine.

Don’t you find it true? Sometimes, when we are constantly on the receiving end, the blessings we obtain will eventually hold little pleasure. Soon enough, by taking things for granted, we become self-centred and ugly. Only by giving and making the people around us happy and glad will our spirits be filled with richness and joy. And trust me, it’s infectious. What this produces is a virtuous cycle of joyful reciprocity that will build ties, strengthen relations and promote a loving environment for people to grow. Too idealistic? Perhaps. But the pursuit of achieving an idealized state of life has always been the fuel driving the goodness of Man.

(By the way, I personally feel that there are all kinds of people in this world. Categorizing them into two groups is by far too few).

Daily Trivia: There are actually three seas that surround Palestine. They are the Dead Sea from its east, the Mediterranean on its northwest, and the Red Sea on its south.

I will start posting webshots photos of all the beautiful places in the world at the end of each entry. This is to whet the traveler spirit in all of us, but mainly, they serve as personal reminders of all the places I want to leave my footprints on this beautiful planet.
First stop: My Heaven on Earth--Alaska!!! And yes, I indulged. So many pictures! The place everyone should visit with their beloved. A place where we can finally stop panting and start breathing. A place of such pristine beauty that we can take time to rediscover the beauty that lies within our souls.