There’s a well-known story of the cracked pot which feels bad for losing water all along the path back from the river where it was filled. But it turns out that, unbeknownst to the flawed pot, it has been watering wildflowers all along the way.
What do you nurture without ever really trying to?
Well, I smile a lot, usually at people but sometimes just because, or because I’m thinking of something amusing. In one particular instance I look directly at a young child… riding in a shopping basket or walking, grasping the hand of an adult….and have a smile on my face. I often receive back the sense that that child gains some self confidence because someone recognized him or her as a person. Sometimes the smile is returned but not always. I just do it and my sense of giving a sign of unexpected friendliness is my reward.