By Irene Conlan -

We have all heard the adages, “You reap what you sow” and “What goes around comes around” and if you pay attention, you know that they’re true. If you send out anger and hatred, you will get them back and if you send out love and laughter, they will come back to you as well.  If you lie, cheat and steal, one of these days you will be on the receiving end.

Sometimes this happens over a period of time, sometimes it is an immediate turn-around. Like yesterday.

Yesterday Jack had his kindergarten Christmas party. Parents came and together parents and child built gingerbread houses. Graham crackers and some cake frosting, lots of gumdrops and marshmallows come together around a single serving milk box to make a grand house.  Ice cream cones are the base for a perfect Christmas tree and  half a cracker is the base for a sled.

When the teacher was distributing the ice cream cones for the Christmas tree, three were solidly stuck together and she was one cone short. Jack had his but a little girl close by didn’t get one. Jack valiantly (and it was valiant because I know how much he loves to do this stuff) offered his cone to the little classmate who, stopped her tears, and happily took the cone. The teacher, seeing what happened, came over to Jack with the cones  that were stuck together – he had the tallest and biggest tree in the class. He was elated. He and his dad talked about how good things come when you are generous and kind and how sometimes bad things come when you are mean and stingy. Those are big lessons for a little boy. Those are big lessons for all of us, actually.

Sometimes it is wise to think about what you would like to get back before your send something out. If you are rude and snarly with other people, you will soon be getting a lot of rude and snarly back and you will probably wonder why those people react to you that way.  Attitudes are quite contagious and what you send out usually comes back to you quicker than a bad virus. Be sure it’s something you want to catch. But giving without expecting is even greater. Give out of the kindness of your heart, without thought of getting back, and you will be amazed at the unexpected return from unexpected sources.

You say, “But what about those people who are mean, stingy and dishonest? Some of them  have big houses, big bank accounts and drive big cars. Why do they give out negative and get back positive?” Good question. Things “come around ” in different ways. Did you ever see a mean spirited, dishonest person who was surrounded by people who loved him/her?  Most likely not. Remember Ebeneezer Scrooge?  Sometimes what comes around is nothing and no one – no love, no friends, no family who care. It will always come around in one way or another, sometimes sooner and sometimes later.

Then “Why do bad things happen to good people?,” you ask. It’s hard to answer that question and it would take more than a blog to answer it. (Read the book, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold S. Kushner).    We each have our challenges. “Bad” things happen to us all and we either learn or don’t learn, quit or keep going.  Some of the greatest lessons and biggest rewards come from the hardest, “baddest” times.  Sometimes the greatest friendships and the deepest love emerges from these events.

If you sow wheat, you get wheat. If you sow love you reap more love. If you sow bitterness and anger, guess what you get back? Yes, what goes around will come around so be sure you’re sending out something you want to receive when it comes back around.

Thanks, Jack, for reminding us.

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