Be a Karma Yogi

In his book Adventures in Two Worlds, A.J. Cronin talks about his days as a medical officer at a Welsh mining company, here is an excerpt:

I have told you of Olwen Davies, the middle-aged district nurse who for more than twenty years, with fortitude and patience, calmness and cheerfulness, served the people of Tregenny. This unconscious selflessness, which above all seemed the keynote of her character, was so poorly rewarded, it worried me.

Although she was much beloved by the people, her salary was most inadequate and late one night after a particularly strenuous case, I ventured to protest to her as we drank a cup of tea together.

“Nurse”, I said, “Why don’t you make them pay you more?

It’s ridiculous that you should work for so little.”

She raised her eyebrows slightly. But she smiled and said,

“I have enough to get along.”

“No, really”,

I persisted,

“you ought to have an extra pound a week at least. God knows you are worth it.”

There was a pause. Her smile remained, but her gaze held gravity, an intensity which startled me.

“Doctor,” she said…