Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive.”
Acts 20:35
On Thanksgiving, I gave my little squirrel friend Rocky his Thanksgiving Dinner of his favorite walnut snacks. Rocky is a squirrel. I’m human. Technically we can’t be friends. That’s technically. Rocky and I have a transactional relationship. I give Rocky his walnut snacks. Rocky accepts his snacks and eats them. We spend quiet time together. That’s our agreement. Simple. It works.
Rocky and I been friends for over 4 years. I met the Rock, when I started walking in the park in Torrance during the COVID pandemic. I couldn’t train at the YMCA or practice Aikido, because of the COVID lockdown. I started walking in the park to retain some sort of exercise regiment. I still take walks in the park as part of my exercise routine in this post COVID pandemic era.
When I feed Rocky his snacks, I give him kindness. As Rocky looks at me while eating his walnuts, he accepts my kindness. When he’s done, he looks at me again. I get it. I put more snacks on the ground. The Rock walks up to me and eats his snacks. He accepts my kindness, again. We spend about 15 minutes of quiet time together.
Sometimes, Rocky accepts my kindness more than what people do. Rocky is kinder than most, too. And he’s just a little squirrel. In the bigger picture, when I give kindness and someone accepts that kindness, there’s the possibility of kindness. Albeit that someone could be a little squirrel. And the world can be a better place.
While Rocky intensely eats his snacks, he looks at me. He looks happy. He looks thankful, too. I’m just guessing. I’m not a squirrel. Still, Rocky reminds that it’s not that hard to give kindness, to be kind. Putting out kindness in the world isn’t that hard. When in doubt, be kind. Something Rocky taught me.
There is much unkindness in the world. We have wars. Hunger. Poverty. Disease. Cowards bully others on Social Media platforms like Facebook and X. There’s a lot of bad that goes on. Yet, I can make the world a better place by giving kindness amidst the unkindness, by giving of myself.
For over 30 years, I’ve taught Aikido to kids and teenagers. I taught Adam when he was 14-years-old. He got his Shodan (1st degree black belt) before he was 18 years old. Adam went on to get his PhD in linguistics and now works in industry. I taught 13-year-old Kurt, who’s now pursuing his graduate degree in Russian Studies. More importantly, Adam and Kurt are good young men.
In Aikido training, I received kindness from the late Mizukami Sensei and Ishibashi Sensei on my path. Mizukami Sensei and Ishibashi Sensei helped me become the greater man, the man that I’m proud to be. I’m forever grateful to them. I have been blessed to receive what I have from them. I’m blessed to give that away to other students what they gave to me. I’m blessed to give something back.
When I train with 14-year-old Jason and 15-year-old Isabel, I throw them with my feeling out, throw from my one point, ki. The late Mizukami Sensei taught Ishibashi Sensei and me that. Now, Jason and Isabel throw me with their feeling out, too. I give them what Mizukami Sensei gave to me. I pass it on. I do what I can.
It makes no difference how small or big, how weak or strong you are, you can throw with your feeling out. You can always be strong inside. You can be quiet inside. Just train. I would know.
Mizukami Sensei taught me, “Wait it out. Enter the attack. Take a glancing blow if you have to. You’re not always going to get away scot-free. It’s one time.” I give that to others. Aikido Founder O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” It’s me against me. Not me against the bigger stronger opponent. They don’t matter. I work on myself, not on them, not on others. I overcome myself.
I enter the attack, get under the attack, in the danger. I let go my fear inside that I’m not good enough. I’m quiet inside. I’m strong inside. That gives me a meaningful life, a life that I love. The late Mizukami Sensei gave that to me. I give that away to Jason, Isabel, and others. That can make a difference in the sometimes unkind world we live in. We just train.
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” I’ve been blessed to receive from others throughout my life. I’ve also been blessed to give to others. For that I’m forever grateful. I’m blessed that I have the possibility of making difference for others in some way, on some scale. I do my best to give life to others. That gives me life, too.
When I give to others, including little Rocky, that reminds that it’s easy to give. It’s easy to give of myself. It’s not all about me, anyway. We all want to make a difference. That’s our inherent human design. When we give of ourselves to others, the world is all the greater for that. Amen.
