Unforgettable Things I Have Heard

November 24, 2023

Many years ago, a person moved to town and made a big splash. She was a new professional who immediately established relationships with high-powered people. After only a few months in the community, she and her husband had created their own domain. They were publicly honored as donors to a high-profile community program. The money they gave was even more than the corporate sponsors. They had become the toast of the town.

One day at a city meeting, I mentioned to her that many people would appreciate her and her husband after making such a generous gift. I will never forget her response to me. “Joe, after I am finished, EVERYONE in the community is going to know who I am.” That sentence rang in my ears. I wondered, “How could anyone announce such an intention behind their charitable contribution? As the months went on, I learned how.

Everyone in town came to know her and her husband… not primarily for her generosity but for expanding their domain by bullying neighbors over property lines and peers over professional territory. Things got so bad that she and her family moved away.

Any of us with an unchecked ego could hatch a plan similar to hers. However, many of us would never go through with it and few would ever announce it. This dear soul was so unconscious of her unchecked ego that she was proud of it.

The unchecked ego eventually brings suffering, which ends only if we become conscious. Our soul, however, leads us to peace which comes from a heart of authenticity.

Inquiry: What was your gut response to her comment? Why?

Dear God,

Bless us in our struggles and awaken us to why we have them. Amen.

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