[00:06.55]There was a Nebraska farmer who grew award-winning corn.
[00:12.13]Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.
[00:18.25]One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him
[00:22.52]and learned something interesting about how he grew it.
[00:26.24]The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.
[00:31.81]“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors
[00:37.06]when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
[00:43.08]“Why sir,”said the farmer,“didn't you know?
[00:47.13]The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.
[00:53.47]If my neighbors grow inferior corn,
[00:56.42]cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn.
[01:01.56]If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
[01:06.70]He is very much aware of the connectedness of life.
[01:10.97]His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.
[01:16.55]So it is in other dimensions.
[01:19.72]Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors to be at peace.
[01:24.86]Those who choose to live well must help others to live well,
[01:29.24]for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.
[01:33.61]And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness
[01:38.64]for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
[01:43.01]The lesson for each of us is this:if we are to grow good corn,
[01:49.14]we must help our neighbors grow good corn.
