From The Storyteller
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March 11, 2019 Rules
Sitting on the third step, with two more to go, I’m confronted with a question I can’t answer. It’s down to step two, and now I’ve three more to go. We’re playing school on the front porch steps where each correct answer moves you up a step, and each incorrect answer moves you down. First kid to get to step five gets to be the teacher, and ask the questions. Playing school at age 6 had rules. “Every boy on the team that is present will play in the game” was our Little League’s rule. As team coach I added, “and each boy will get the same amount of playing time”. The parents of the better players expressed their dislike, because they thought their boys should play more. The parents of the boys who were struggling expressed their appreciation, because their sons got the chance to play more. It was a long summer of listening. I have several personal rules that I find make my life better. One, remember to take out the trash after cooking fish, and another is checking for toilet paper before starting. The rule I find that gives me the most satisfaction however, is a bit different because it’s about you (yes, each of you). We live in a world filled with everyday folks who are, for many different reasons, hurting. With that thought in mind, I reasoned that if my words and actions can ease a person’s burden, even if only by bringing a smile to their face, that’s doing good; and if my words and actions add to another person’s burden, that’s doing bad. My rule: Strive to ease the burden of every person I encounter. I’m not always successful, but the satisfaction I experience when I do is worth the effort. Moral: Good rules can make a day better. |