Word of the day

beau geste • \boh-ZHEST\ • noun

*1 : a graceful or magnanimous gesture

2 : an ingratiating conciliatory gesture

This word of the day caught my eye because I remember seeing a movie years ago about it. But I really couldn't remember anything other than the name. So I looked it up. It is a book written by PC Wren in 1924. Here is the plot summary:

The central character is Michael "Beau" Geste, the eldest of the three Geste brothers of Brandon Abbas, who have been brought up by their aunt. When a precious jewel known as the "Blue Water", the focus of the family fortunes, goes missing, suspicion falls on the brothers, and Beau leaves Britain to join the French Foreign Legion, followed by his brothers, Digby and John. There they encounter the sadistic Sergeant Lejaune, and the unit is besieged at Fort Zinderneuf by Tuareg rebels. Beau's heroism is proved, but only John survives to return home, where he is welcomed by their aunt and the reason for the jewel theft is revealed as a matter of honour.

Anyway, so I looked up the movies and there was a number of them. But I guess the one I saw was "The Last Remake of Beau Geste." Which was a parody starring Marty Feldman. That was in 1977...a very long time ago. I don't really remember anything about the movie.

But I certainly like the phrase and it's meaning. The literal translation is "Beautiful Gift". When someone gives up something they really want because they know that someone else wants it also. What a grand thing it is.

But it also makes me think of karma. The good you do for others always comes back to you ten fold. In recent months I had two opportunities to do something good for someone, someone I didn't know. Of course, I didn't really think about it until the opportunity had passed. I've vowed to listen harder and look closer for such opportunities. But sometimes they are a once in a lifetime thing.
Another aspect of karma is the harm you do to others. The little sly, evil, deceptive things that people do, thinking the object of the action will never know. But the whole point is....YOU know. It eats at you. The backstabbing, lying, deceiving....it always catches up to you and karma will reward you 10 fold. You will get what you give.
Plain and simple, no?

Peace

Jill