Servant of the Month: Nymala Ingasy

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Author: Alyccea Nymaessene

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Sometimes, an act of service can be a big, impressive event that requires planning and hard work, and makes us feel like superheroes (which, of course, we are!). But often, just a small, simple gesture can be all it takes to make a positive difference to someone else’s day.

This brings me to TarValon.Net’s latest Servant of the Month. Each month, the Outreach Team randomly selects a member from among those who have posted within the Servant of All forum to be TarValon.Net’s Servant of the Month. This program is designed to recognise and encourage our members’ acts of service and philanthropy within their local communities and beyond.

September’s Servant of the Month is none other than our very own Mistress of Novices and Recruits, Nymala Ingasy, Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah. Nymala Sedai posted in the Servant of All forum about helping out an elderly couple recently, by lending them her umbrella so that they could avoid becoming drenched in a Florida monsoon. I had the pleasure of interviewing Nymala Sedai for this edition of the Tar Valon Times.

Nymala Sedai started by telling me a bit about her background of serving others in a variety of ways, and how it influenced her philosophy as an adult. “I've always tried my utmost to help when and where I can - to give, as Maimonides, the Jewish philosopher wrote, ‘gladly and with a smile’. As a kid, I clearly remember charity projects done yearly by my school, but also doing things like delivering Meals on Wheels with my mother, and volunteering on Christmas day for meal deliveries so that those who celebrated could be with their families. As an adult, I carried that philosophy of helping others with me.”

So, what happened on this particular day? “A few weeks ago, I was excited and preoccupied with the prospect of starting a new job,” Nymala Sedai explained. “On a gray Wednesday morning, I went to a nearby walk-in medical clinic to take a pre-employment drug screening test. When I walked in, the clinic was nearly empty. I checked in and sat down to wait to be called. As I sat there, an elderly man and his wife came out of the treatment area. She was obviously ill and they sat down to wait for the doctor's final instructions. While we all waited, the sky grew darker and angrier by the moment, until the heavens opened up and it began to pour with fury.”

“The elderly couple hadn't come in with an umbrella or any sort of protection from the rain,” Nymala Sedai continued. “I had my small red umbrella with me, and I watched with concern as the couple talked nervously about what to do. The rain wasn't letting up in the slightest and if anything, was getting worse. The only thing the clinic offered them were thin plastic garbage bags that would have offered no protection.” When she heard the gentleman say that he’d left their umbrella in the car and would run out in the rain to fetch it so that his wife could stay dry, Nymala Sedai could not sit by anymore. “I offered the man my umbrella so he could go bring the car around for his wife or bring their golf umbrella back for her. He gratefully accepted and I got sincere thanks from the both of them.”

So what prompted Nymala Sedai to share her story? “It was such a small act to me that I didn't think much of it, but as the office staff told the back office staff what I'd done, and people came up to me to tell me that I'd done such a nice thing, I began to feel more proud of my actions and posted them on the Servant of All forum when I got home. Honestly, I'd do it again in a heartbeat and not hesitate for a moment.”

For Nymala Sedai, lending her umbrella to this elderly couple was just a simple act of service that didn’t cost anything, yet it allowed them both to get to their destination safe and dry despite the miserable weather. Furthermore, through her actions Nymala Sedai was able to inspire the staff and others who were attending the medical clinic that day.

Have you performed a similar small act of service that helped to improve somebody else’s day in some way? Or have you perhaps been on the receiving end of a similar act of service? If so, I encourage you to share your experiences in the Servant of All forum!



Tar Valon Times Newsletter version