James Bender, in his book How to Talk Well, illustrates how it benefits everyone when we mutually help each other. He tells of a farmer who grew award winning corn. Each year he entered his best corn in the regional fair and it won the Blue-Ribbon.[emember_protected custom_msg=”Click here and register now to read the rest of the article!”]
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him to learn about how he grew the winning corn, year after year. The reporter discovered that the farmer actually shared his best seed corn with his neighbors. Puzzled, he asked, “How can you afford to share your best seeds with your neighbors when they are entering corn in the competition against yours each year?”
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “the wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
It’s a very simple and important principle. His corn cannot improve, unless his neighbor’s corn also improves. He cannot succeed simply by watching out for number one. He succeeds best by helping his neighbors succeed. That is mutualism.
I am aware this goes for me also. Do I want to succeed? Then I must help others to succeed. Do I want to live in peace and harmony? Then I must help my neighbors also live in peace, and the very peace they experience will add to my own. Call it mutualism, call it a principle of success, or call it a law of life. I only know that none of us truly wins until we all win.
May your corn grow tall, and produce multiple ears! Merry Christmas to All, and a Prosperous New Year.
CREDITS
column by DONALD KIRKLAND
BIO: Donald Kirkland (AU 1803 AB 158) is a third generation Floridian, from Medulla (South Lakeland) and admitted “Florida Cracker.” He has worked at Higgenbotham Auctioneers since 1993. Donald enjoys the agriculture community spirit, 4-H, FHA, FFA. Donald is a certified and licensed auctioneer and real estate associate.
This column is sponsored by Donald Kirkland and Higgenbotham Auctioneers. Take a look at our website: www.higgenbotham.com. We have a home that will be sold ABSOLUTE, January 16 at 4 p.m., 1605 NW 35th street, Winter Haven. Look online for a complete listing. You can contact me at Donald@higgenbotham.com or (863) 607-7877.[/emember_protected]