The Secret of the Good Point: Spreading Goodness - From Where You Are

I met Asher Rosenthal on Friday morning when I went to buy coffee with my wife and our baby son. On the way to coffee, I saw from the corner of my eye a man dressed in red distributing newspapers. "Good morning, God-fearing man with a prince in his arms!" he called out to me. I smiled, thanked him, and returned his good morning greeting. I don't read the newspaper, I said, but thank you anyway.

We bought coffee and sat for a moment on a public bench. From a distance, we saw Asher continuing to approach more people. He called out to them loudly with a big smile: "Good morning, respected sir," the respected man ignored him and continued down the street. "Good morning, beautiful lady!" he called to someone who perhaps he was the only one who ever saw beauty in her, and she smiled shyly and thanked him. "Good morning, woman with a bag," "Good morning, young man," and so he continued to greet passersby with a big smile and lots of joy. The atmosphere around him changed. Even people with sour expressions couldn't stay so serious (except those who are really, really serious). And Asher? He continued to greet them warmly.

Distributing newspapers. A job that many people would complain about having to do... but not Asher! He took the place where he was and chose to add goodness and bring joy to passersby.

This man intrigued me, and while my wife went into the supermarket, I caught him for a brief conversation. It turns out he's a 74-year-old retiree "and one month," a quick glance at his watch, "and fifteen days!" The smile never left his face. He shared that in his past he was a settlement secretary, a computer programmer, and even a lecturer. After retiring, he sat at home and felt that if he didn't do something, he was finished. He decided to go back to work and found himself distributing newspapers. He's happy for the opportunity to meet people, and he does the maximum in his position.

One of the things that prevents us from doing a lot of good is the perception that we need to be in a "certain place" or have "specific knowledge" or acquire a "particular quality" to spread goodness and do good in the world.

A few days ago, I met an acquaintance from the past, and at the end of the meeting, I wished him that he would merit spreading his special fragrance in the world. He was hesitant. I asked what the matter was, and he said that first, he needed to gather it - this fragrance - and connect to it, and then we'll see.

This is a wonderful person with exceptional abilities who wants to do a lot of good. What prevents him from adding goodness? The meeting was brief and hurried, and we didn't have time to delve deeper. His reasons remained with him. I found myself thinking about this a lot after we parted. I know many people who have so much goodness in them and can add goodness to their surroundings, yet they live with a constant feeling that they're still not ready enough. "If I were in a different place," they say, "at a different time or in a different job, I could do it."

This isn't the truth. From wherever you are, you can connect to goodness. Whether you're the CEO of a large company or a warehouse worker, you can influence your environment. Whether you're a talented poet or a poor cobbler, you'll always be able to add more and more goodness.

I once heard a story in the US about a rabbi who traveled to Manhattan to give a lecture. He woke up in the morning and got into a taxi with his student. The taxi driver was nervous and gloomy. He grumbled constantly and cursed, but the rabbi sat calmly and praised the driver. "How beautifully you drive," he told him. "How carefully he drives! And also courteously," he called to his student. Slowly the driver softened and began to smile. When they got out of the taxi, he called out to the rabbi: "Have a wonderful morning!"

On the way, the student asked the rabbi to explain his behavior. That driver, the rabbi explained with a smile, takes dozens of people in Manhattan during the morning hours. Those dozens will meet hundreds and thousands of people. If he remains so angry - that's what he'll pass on to others, but if I succeed in making him happy - during the day, the joy will pass on and infect thousands and perhaps tens of thousands.

Recently, I've been fortunate to meet people who spread a lot of goodness from their place. From Eliyahu from the hummus place, where everyone who enters his hummus shop leaves with a smile, to Rabbi Abraham, a gifted teacher, whose every student receives personalized attention tailored to their measure. Each of them spreads goodness from their personal point, from the current place where they are, without trying to move to another place, without trying to change, without grumbling and getting angry and constantly feeling that they're not in the right place.

It turns out that you are in the right place, because that's the place where you are!

From the book "The Secret of the Good Point", by Ran Weber, writer, therapist, and workshop facilitator in the spirit of Hasidism. Contact: ranweber@gmail.com

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