As I was walking on Sheridan across the street from the entrance to campus today, I saw my favorite desk receptionist from when I lived in Simpson Hall this past academic year. I gave him one of those "what's up" head nods, and when he saw me he gave me an expression of recognition and returned with "what's up man." I was absolutely shocked that he actually remembered me from the brief, albeit frequent, moments of scanning into the building last year.
When I retold this story to my friend Tom, he revealed to me that the desk receptionist's name was Kevin and he was Tom's girlfriend Jade's older brother. Who would have thought.
The Buddha said "He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye." This tells me that everyone is connected and, to quote the NBC show Life (which I love and adore), "even as we exhale those around us inhale." It just amazes me when this "Small World" effect comes into play in real life. This should be a lesson to distribute compassion and kindness throughout our worlds, since we are interconnected with it. For instance, if I had been rude to Kevin or ignored Kevin's kindness as I was swiping my ID at the desk, my positive relationship with Tom's girlfriend would be influenced by my neglect of kindness toward her older brother. We must realize that we are all connected, every one of us. If we are able to see ourselves in everyone and come to realize there is a part of everyone, a piece of humanity, within ourselves, we will take a step toward enlightenment and a fulfilling life. This is something that I must strive to remember and practice every day.
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