Charity Pays For Itself

At the theater my family owns, I work in the concession stand.  A few weeks ago, three elderly ladies came up and asked me if they could have glasses of water.  My first thought was to charge them the cost of the cup and not worry about the water, but I looked back at them and felt like I should just put it entirely on the house.  So I did.

About five minutes later, another lady came up and asked if she could have a glass of water.  I thought about the other three ladies and decided I couldn't not give her the same treatment.

 When I gave her the water, she asked me how much it would cost.  I smiled and told her that she shouldn't worry about it.  She then proceeded to pull the exact cost of all four of those waters and told me that it was a tip.

I've learned it's better to accept a tip and thank them instead of seeming ungrateful.  The lesson here is simple.  Charity pays for itself.  It generally isn't through monetary means, though.  I think that the saying "What goes around, comes around" is completely applicable.  I'd also like to add something I've learned recently.  The saying, "You reap what you sow" doesn't just mean, "what goes around, comes around."  When you plant an apple tree seed, what do you get?  You get a tree that produces thousands of apples with a few seeds each!  What happens when a weed grows?  It grows fast, dies fast, then produces hundreds to thousands of seeds.  The same is with our actions.  When we sow seeds of kindness, we receive more kindness in return, along with one of the most amazing feelings in the world!  When we sow seeds of hate, envy, or enmity, we receive more of those, and who wants to feel that way?  These are the thoughts of a boy who searches for and loves truth in everything. :) 


Your friend and brother,

Dallin Hughes

Enjoy My Random Thoughts!

It is so incredible to me that such courage, love of self, innocence, faith and happiness can be found in the most vulnerable of all people-babies.

Babies are simply perfect.

They are courageous and loving of themselves in that they are not afraid to ask for what they need or want.

So much can be learned from them.

Innocent at birth, we begin to learn about everything through the eyes (perspectives) of our parents and/or close elder persons.  This is amazing.  To think that how I viewed the world (myself included) was almost entirely shaped by my parents both excites me and terrifies me (in a good way).  As much as I already know this, it still blows me away to think that I have the potential to influence every other human being the same way, but especially my family.

I see this every day.  For example, my cousin Matthew consistently repeats the opinions of my uncles Adam and Andy (Andy being Matthew's father). He does not repeat the opinion right after it has been offered, but when that subject is brought back up.  You can see he just soaks in every bit of opinion, every sliver of perspective, every drop of viewpoint.  Many times he will do so without even thinking why that opinion should be had.  Such profound faith in his father and his father's knowledge just testifies of the man I need to be and am becoming.

So... what if I have been taught wrong?  Well... Ask and ye shall receive.  If you want to change something about yourself, ask for a way to do it and trust that you will receive your answer.

The easiest to change of these imperfect beliefs for myself, was my individual worth, my "mirror" or how I saw myself.  Such a small perspective I had.  I only saw my imperfections.  I saw blemishes, dark bags underneath my eyes, imperfect teeth and I didn't have "the perfect voice".

It was a very depressing way to view myself.  It was a way that I didn't like, but had learned that it was the way I was supposed to view myself.

I decided I didn't want that.  I would let myself know it too.  I spoke words aloud to dispel those thoughts.  I spoke to retrain my subconscious to think better of myself, to correct those imperfect beliefs.

"I love and approve of myself.  I am safe."

A few other affirmations were verbalized, but that was the big one for me.

I said it like I really believed it and I eventually "tricked" myself into believing it.

Now the small "bathroom mirror" perspective I had has transformed itself into a dance studio wall mirror.  I see all of myself and much more!

No, I am not the man I will be, but the point is that I will be that man.  I look forward to the beliefs and principles I can help my children understand and I hope to do too.

After all, "romance" is another way of saying "love" and love can not be fulfilled without a family.

I am a hopeless romantic to the core.

Dallin Hughes

P.S.  Everything begins with a thought.  Start thinking!