Saturday, January 8, 2011

Life of giving and sharing

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/world/africa/08somalia.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha22

I also read about this remarkable woman a few weeks ago. Being a doctor is a very noble profession, on the same par with being a teacher. One devotes to saving lives; the other dedicates to saving minds. Unfortunately, most doctors I personally know devote to making money, thus sullying the image of the profession.

This life of service of this doctor is inspiring. True happiness comes from
giving and sharing what we have with less fortunate fellow humans. Selfish humans never have that understanding. True education awakens the altruism in us and teaches us not to be overly selfish. A little selfishness is useful for survival, but too much of it makes one stay at the animal level. Many humans, Mitchongs included, cannot be properly called educated. True education must include the improvement of one's heart, and not just one's mind. So the next time you reflexively think you are educated, think of what I just wrote tonight. Now perhaps a friend of mine understands why the word "animal" is part of my favorite vocabulary. I have this eternal fear that I am just an animal and no more. So, I am grateful of running into stories like this one about the wonderful lady doctor in Somalia. By the way, in case you guys don't notice, people from Somalia and Ethiopia (and from North Africa and the Middle East and Mediterranean countries) generally are very attractive. My son and I know the reason why. That's something he and I have in common.

Wissai, preacher from the wilderness

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