Chaplain's Message

A lady asks, "How much do you sell your eggs for?"

The old vendor replies,"0.50 ¢ an egg, madam."

The lady says, "I'll take 6 eggs for 2.50¢ or I'm leaving."

The old salesman replies: "Buy them at the price you want, Madam. This is a good start for me because I haven't sold a single egg today and I need this to live."

She bought her eggs at a bargain price and left with the feeling that she had won. 

She got into her fancy car and went to a fancy restaurant with her friend. She and her friend ordered what they wanted. They ate a little, and left a lot of what they had asked for. 

So they paid the bill, which was $400. The ladies gave $500 and told the fancy restaurant owner to keep the change as a tip...

This story might seem quite normal to the owner of the fancy restaurant, but very unfair to the egg seller...The question it raises is - Why do we always need to show that we have power when we buy from the needy? And why are we generous to those who don't even need our generosity?

My father used to buy goods from poor people at high prices, even though he didn't need the things. Sometimes he paid more for them. I was amazed. One day I asked him, "Why are you doing this dad?" My father replied, "It's charity wrapped in dignity, son.”

I know that most of you will not share this message, but if you are one of the people who has taken the time to read this far... Then this message of attempted "humanisation" will have gone one step further... in the right direction.

I always hated bartering - for what?? To get something over someone who has less than me? I have a bit of a mantra, 'hold with an open hand, share with an open heart'.

Generosity is a wonderful quality which spreads joy and sheer good will for everyone involved.

~Sarah Pollitt

   College Chaplain