The Contagion of Sharing

Once a week, I shop at a private little food co-op where I buy my raw dairy, free-range eggs, grass-fed meat/wild-caught fish, local raw honey, and organic produce at very reasonable prices. I arrive early so as to get a good pick of the produce and avoid a long wait. Occasionally, there are limits placed on some of the produce so more families can partake.
  

One day as I waited to check out, the lady behind me sighed, "I thought I got here early enough to get blueberries today, but they're out already." My mind rested on the two little boxes of blueberries in my bag, and I was happy I had come in time to get mine! (If the quota had been ten, I may well have bought ten. Blueberries are my favorite.) After a few seconds, I hesitated, "Well, you can have one of mine. I have two." I waited for her to tell me not to worry about it. "That's okay," she said, "you don't have to give me yours." I felt relief that she knew what to say. At that point, I underwent a rapid inner turmoil and decided this was something I could do, so I summoned the strength to rummage through my bag in search of the blueberries. "No, really. Take this one." I handed her a box, still sad to see them go. "Well thanks. That's nice of you." I was filled with peace.

This experience lingered in my heart for some time afterward. It was so small, but gave me a fresh glimpse into the world of service and charity. My heart was just a touch softer, my senses a tad keener, and I felt a little more eager to give. I learned that every bit of sharing is a stepping stone to consecration. I am very far from where I would like to be, but every so often, something motivates me to continue down the path to freely loving all men.

Today it was Narayanan Krishnan, a 30-year-old Indian man who is leaving an inspiring daily legacy, one person at a time. What comes to your mind when you watch this?

". . . Ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants" (Mosiah 4:26). 

"For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have. . ." (Mosiah 4:19)?

". . . Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:37-39).

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Here is the nonprofit that Krishnan started. If you can't contribute, I think he would be just as happy if you go out and give in another way.

(Talk about karma -- the week following the blueberries, I reached into an empty box where the bananas once were. A man nearby noticed my disappointment and handed me a bunch, saying with a smile, "Share.")

Share! It is contagious.