Acts of love and kindness radiate on the lake of life.  When we perform such acts, they ripple out and return to us multiplied.

During a vacation at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland, I was sitting on the dock enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon when a speedboat rushed by, clearly exceeding the posted speed limit of five miles per hour.  The boat=s wake was only two feet tall, but it radiated widely across the narrow lake.  Long after the speedboat was out of sight, other boats slammed against the dock where they were moored.  Fortunately, no boats were damaged that day, but the driver of the speedboat was oblivious to the possibility of the damage he might cause.  Similarly, our actions and emotional outbursts ripple across the people that are around us each day.  Why does today's world have so much pain, anger, sadness, hatred and conflict?  What stops it from being all love, peace, kindness, sharing and joy?  When we take personal responsibility, we realize it may be the things I do every day coupled with the things that you do.

I am a good person by most standards.  I love my family, support several charities, care about my co-workers and others, and obey the law.  But some days I am selfish.  Maybe I am angry now and then.  I brush people off people occasionally when I am busy.  Unfortunately, when I am angry with my wife, my daughters, my grandsons, my friends or my co-workers, they feel the anger and hurt, and they often pass it on to others.  I spoil paradise on earth when I allow the dragons of arrogance, anger and selfishness to take hold of me, even if it is infrequently and only for a few minutes.