Day 123i: Friends from quite Afar … (August 30, 2019)
I think it is almost fair to say that one can tell the worth of any particular religion by the most prevalent behaviors exuded by its adherents. And to whatever degree that is the case, I can now freely state that of all the different sects and faiths encountered along my life’s many pilgrimages, the Sikhs have been as a whole by far the most generous and gentle and kind. And this was once again the case at the “One Stop Cigarette Outlet” just across the Maryland/Virginia border, where Ranjan & Singh welcomed me into their store, lavished me with both honor and encouragement, and then humbly & without hesitation gave me much sustenance (both of food and of drink) before sending me lovingly on my Way …
“We are working well when we use ourselves as the fellow friends of all the plants and animals and other people we meet along the way. Such an open-hearted attitude is unifying and healing. It brings us away from pride and home from despair, and nestles us as fully responsible within the greater Human Estate. It defines us as we truly are: never too good to work arduously with our bodies, but definitely too good to ever work poorly or joylessly or selfishly or alone.” ~ via Wendell Berry
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