Kindness is Contagious

Not to Adjust Ourselves

"I would say about individuals: an individual dies when he ceases to be surprised. What keeps me alive — spiritually, emotionally, intellectually — is my ability to be surprised. I say, I take nothing for granted. I am surprised every morning that I see the sun shine again. When I see an act of evil, I am not accommodated — I don't accommodate myself to the violence that goes on everywhere. I'm still surprised. That's why I'm against it; why I can fight against it. We must learn how to be surprised, not to adjust ourselves. I am the most maladjusted person in society."

~ Abraham Joshua Heschel, from "The Spiritual Audacity of Abraham Joshua Heschel," Speaking of Faith (6.05.08)

Today is No Different

A NYC taxi driver returned a bag containing 31 diamond rings which he found in the trunk of his cab after dropping off a passenger who gave him a 30-cent tip on a $10.70 fare.

"All my life, I tried to be honest. Today is no different. I'm not going to take someone else's money or property to make me rich. I don't want it that way," said Osman Chowdhury, a soft-spoken cabbie, who was a contractor in Bangladesh until he came to the United States 15 years ago. He does not own a cab but rents one.

"I enjoy my life. I'm satisfied," said Chowdhury.

- Associated Press story