Use red & blue 3D glasses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kllrYE5on14
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Mirvish
In December 1981 I was living on Albany Street in Toronto.
Located just down the street from me was a pretty good restaurant I went to regularly in the morning for coffee.
One morning while having my coffee Honest Ed Mirvish walked with another man.
As I saw him come in I said to myself, “Here’s a man people think of as a rich man. No one gives him anything. People come to him when they want something. Well, I will give him something. I will buy his breakfast.”
I called the waitress over.
She said, “All Mr. Mirvish has is coffee.”
I said, “Then give me the bill for the table.”
She did.
I could hear them talking. Mr. Mirvish spoke of how business had dropped off at his world famous discount store, Honest Ed’s.
Then Mr. Mirvish walked over to me.
He asked, “Why did you pay my bill?”
I replied, “When I saw you walk in I said to myself, ‘Here comes a man people think of as a rich man. No one gives him anything. When people come to him they want something. Well, I will give him something. I will buy his breakfast.'”
At that the years slipped away from his body. He became a Jewish kid who walked down stairs on Christmas morning to find a tree with gifts below it. The most pleasant smile I have ever seen on anyone before or since danced across his face. It was wonderful to behold. There is no good reason why we cannot take the best from other Faiths and make it part of our own. That is what Christmas is by the way as many “Christians” so often remind us: https://www.learnreligions.com/christmas-customs-with-pagan-roots-2563021 . They frankly miss the mark (which is what the word “sin” means and all that it means. It is an archery term).
I continued, “Years ago I talked with you about showing THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915) at The Royal Alexandra Theatre. While that did not happen you treated me to an excellent roast beef dinner and gave me the best piece of advice I ever got.”
Honest Ed said, “What was that?”
I replied, “You said, if you are going to give something away charge a nickel. What you meant was people will not get anywhere near as excited abut a gift as we do about a bargain.”
The next day ads appeared in the newspapers offering each day a five cent special at Honest Ed’s. The ads culminated in a 5 cent turkey.
My random act of kindness had reminded Honest Ed that he himself knew how to solve his problem.
That continued over the years until finally each Christmas Ed gave away a free turkey.
Honest Ed’s Discount Store is gone from Bloor and Bathurst now.
More’s the pity as there was no place like that place anywhere on earth.
Yesterday when I was at Bloor and Bathurst I saw a sign stating Mirvish Village will be giving away free turkeys this Sunday, December 15.
For many that gift makes sure they have a turkey for Christmas.
Honest Ed Mirvish was and remains a very great man.
By his life he made Toronto a better place to be.
I told him. “You are one of my heroes.”
He said, “I should not be. All of my life I never knew what I was doing.”
I said, “That is why. Not one of us knows what we are doing. Without risk there is no life. You took risks. That is what life is all about.
Next time you see someone you think is a rich person give them something. Do it as anonymously as you can. Let the gift come without expectation of a reward.
Never envy the rich, the financially secure, the well off.
They are the poorest people of all.
Honest Ed began his life dirt poor. He was born at a moment when the fact he was Jewish was seen by many as a fatal strike against him.
If that man is not deserving of being seen as a hero I don’t know who is.
God bless him.
–Reg Hartt 2019–12-14.
https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-orators/reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reg_Hartt
« The world of animation owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Reg Hartt for sharing this incredible video with us. Farewell Bobby and Jimmy (Israel). »