Two Great Virtues

In a bamboo forest near the Himalayas lived a parrot, along with many other birds and animals. One day, suddenly a very strong wind blew and made two bamboos rub together which started a forest  fire.

The wind fed the fire and the birds and animals screamed in great confusion looking for an escape. The parrot, partly in gratitude towards the bamboo forest who had sheltered him for so long, and also feeling compassion for the misfortune of so many birds and animals, decide to make as much as possible to save them.

He went to a nearby pool, wet his wings and flying over the fire made water drops fall. He repeated this diligently thinking only in the Gratitude towards the bamboo forest and the Compassion he felt for the desperate ones.

This spirit of compassion and sacrifice moved the gods of heaven. One of them came down and said to him: "Your soul is noble, but, how can you put out so big a fire with the drops of water in your wings?"

To this, the parrot answered: " If I pretended to put it out only with water, certainly I could not do so; but I do it with this feeling of Thankfulness and Compassion. It must be possible. I will keep carrying water once and again, and I will keep doing it also in my next life."

This fable is from the book "The Path of Practice" by Buddha. It might be worth to ask yourself: 

How do I express my thankfulness and compassion towards others?