One night, the lodge was overcrowded and a few masons went off to get chairs. One quickly came back with one and sat down. The next brought a few chairs for others. The first took care of himself but the second took care of others and in that act, elevated his actions to a noble gesture~a sacred expression of agape.
Sitting down for a drink, one brother took care to offer one to his guest before taking care of himself. The next brother quickly ordered for himself, sat back and waited.
The old farmer comes in from the fields after a hard days labour. Before he sits for his dinner, the horses are water and let out to pasture as he and his dogs bring in the cows for milking. After turning them out to the fields for the night, he calls the calves for feeding and chases them off because they are insatiable at that age. Next the pigs need feed and lastly the chickens get some grain in their pen but ducks and geese are barn yard protectors and have a trough of their own.
After he washes the milking equipment and hanging it to dry, he has a few minutes with his grandson to talk about the stars. He tells the boy to be sure enough wood is brought in next morning to keep the stove going for cooking and heating water and then walks ahead in the dark to the farm house with boy jogging behind as little boys do, to wash up, sit down, say a prayer of thanks and then they eat.
A life of service does not happen because someone reads noble ideas. It happens when a man applies his learning to life around him. Mason have no language and no voice that commmunicates as perfectly as their actions.
A foolish man talks of great deeds and does nothing. A rich man does great deeds for others and acts in silence. A wise man knows the foolish man is a small gesture away from greatness and approaches him with a spiritual sense.
It is by acting spiritually that good men locate a point of perfect balance.
Dg
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