I am impressed by an incident that happened during Ignace Paderewski's career.
The famous Polish pianist agreed to play a concert organized by two Stanford
University students working their way through school. Paderewski's manager said
they would have to guarantee the artist a fee of $2,000. The boys agreed and
eventually the concert was held.
Though the two student promoters worked hard, they took in only $1,600.
Discouraged, they told Paderewski of their efforts and handed him the $1,600
with a note promising to pay him the balance of $400. But the artist tore up the
note and gave them back the $1,600. "Take your expenses out of this," he said,
"give yourselves each 10% of what's left for your work, and let me have the
rest."
Years later, Paderewski was faced with feeding the people of his war-ravaged
Poland. Amazingly, even before a request was made, thousands of tons of food
were sent to Poland by the United States.
Paderewski later traveled to Paris to thank Herbert Hoover, who headed up the US
relief effort. "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski," said Hoover, "I knew that the
need was great. And besides, though you may not remember it, I was one of the
two college students whom you generously helped when I was in need."
Paderewski reaped a harvest he had sown years before. And so it is. When we
give, we receive. Maybe not exactly the thing we gave, and maybe not at the time
it was given.
It is also true that when we give from our hearts, when we give in a spirit of
love and compassion, we receive even more than we gave. It's a basic law of
successful living. Powerful enough to change a life.
© 2001 Steve Goodier
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