One of my favorite scenes from the Lord of the Ring series is from Two Towers. Towards the end of the movie, Frodo and Sam--the two star Hobbits-- are stuck in the old capital city of Osgiliath. A Wraith on a flying dragon is following them and Frodo is about to give in and slip on the famous ring which would give him away and be over taken by Sauron.

Sam, Frodo's most trusted friend, gave the most heart felt speech of his life and my ears just perked up. I had never heard anything like it before and I immediately thought of the comparison of our lives in this world with what Sam told Frodo.

Let me enlighten you. After Frodo desperately says "I can't do this" (meaning: get the ring to fire mountain) Sam comes back with:

"It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here, but we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come and when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand.

I know now. Folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something."

Frodo then asks: "What are they holding on to, Sam?"

And these are the crowning words of Sam: "That there is some good in this world, Mr Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."

I have always felt that we are here on this earth to do some good in the world. I have felt so strongly about this idea that I have written many articles about this very subject. But in this five minute pep talk, Sam Wise Gamgee accomplished this concept so very well, it just stuck with me.

The good in our world is worth fighting for. Sometimes it seems that those who do service for others are less and less in number. Sometimes I feel like giving up and not caring what I do for others but that would be wrong. The good in our world should be continuing on so that the example of whatever good we find is passed along to others. If one person does some good to another, should they get paid for their good works?

There is an interesting saying that has gone around the north eastern part of the country, particularly the New York City/New Jersey area which has become an acronym: WITFM. What's In iT For Me. Now, I grew up in New Jersey-being born in Brooklyn-- and I know people there can be rough. But when we help other people without expecting a payment, it shouldn't matter "what is in it for us". Just that we did it to help another person. Helping others without the expectation of being paid for their services teaches us that we should help others for just the good of helping others. That is a lost ideal in the world and we need to reinforce it. Reinforce it not only for ourselves, but for our children. The next generation needs to learn that doing something good for others brings meaning and purpose to our lives. It brings good to the world and that makes our world a better place to live. Not only a better place to live but live a longer, happier life.

There is a new book on the scene called "Why Good Things Happen to Good People." Stephen Post, a professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine, and cowriter Jill Neimark suggest that there's a direct connection between altruism and physical health. Dr. Post has studied the physical, biological, and emotional changes that occur when people look beyond themselves and consider others, which is really amazing. Post and Neimark explain that when we genuinely love others, when we extend our hearts in compassion toward their needs, we trigger powerful hormonal reactions that not only make us feel better but actually increase our quality of life and perhaps our longevity as well.

For example, a 2005 study from Stanford University found a link between volunteerism and "later mortality" among the elderly. This seems unbelievable but according to this study and several other studies this is true.

A large survey of teenagers in Vermont found that those who volunteered were less likely to engage in risky behaviors. In a British study the authors call "truly remarkable," neighborhoods that had high rates of volunteerism were found to have lower rates of crime, better schools and "happier, healthier residents." I know from my own experience if teenagers engage in service projects, they stay out of trouble more seem happier.

So there you have it. If we extend our hearts to others in doing good, then not only do we help ourselves to live longer but we create good in the world and make it a better place to live. So never mind thinking "What's in It for Me" do good to others.

About the Author : Valerie Steimle is the mother of 9 children and loves life at home. She has written many articles for local newspapers and online magazines on the education of her children and the strength of the family. She is the author of two books: Home Is Where the Heart Is and Home Is Where the Learning Is