Grace [Ethically Speaking]

Grace is a beautiful word. It is an act of kindness or consideration that the receiver does not expect or may not even deserve. Grace gives with no expectation of a return. Azar Ali and I were walking down a street in Asheville, NC, about 20 years ago, looking for a place to eat, when we came upon a young lady staring at her flat tire. Being the chivalrous sort, we changed her tire. The young lady was very grateful and was shocked by our act of kindness. Cultural norms usually require a gift receiver to then reciprocate with a gift to the original gift giver. The young lady with the flat tire was a bartender, and offered us free drinks if we stopped by her bar that evening: we did not. Doing something good for someone with no expectation of a reward is rare and refreshing. An ABC News report said, ???The Minnesota mystery giver struck again, dropping $1,000 in a Salvation Army kettle in Saint Francis, Minnesota, in the form of 10 $100 bills - the sixth time this has happened in the Twin Cities area.??? Many times we give in order to get recognition or a tax deduction. Grace ful giving has no demands. Grace is special. My new grand daughter, Adeline, survives by the grace of her family. She needs constant attention and love and, other than being cute, offers nothing in return. Grace is a one-way street: what an interesting concept in our self-absorbed world. We usually expect tit for tat, a contract, reciprocity, or a courtesy.