I was listening to NPR today and they were talking about the classic story by E.B. White, Charlotte's Web. I love that story and upon reflection what now really seems to be the moral is not that Charlotte put all the animals to work to save Wilbur the pig from becoming bacon nor was it Charlotte's loving selflessness.
The animated version, as book adaptations tend to do, changed and added a few things. One of which was the ending. It seems that when White did the audio version of the book he couldn't read the ending. It took him 17 tries to get through it without sobbing. If you remember, in the end Charlotte dies but in the book she dies alone and without anyone knowing her or her passing. Total obscurity.
Heck, listening to him finally reading the ending, I started to cry as I was driving in rush hour traffic. Oh yeah … I'm a "tough guy". It made me think of how many amazing and inspirational people do what they do without fanfare. As Charlotte did, the do it not for fame or money but because it's the right/natural thing to do. On principle, I love these people especially in our current shallow celebrity based world. That's why I try to do stories about these truly heroic figures whenever possible. They give us hope and strength. They show the beauty and powerful grace that humanity has to offer. Even if that humanity comes from a spider.
The most satisfying acts of kindness (for me at least) are those that i do to people who are in dire need and no one else finds out…somehow..