# You're the only one who deserves this award

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-oam-government-house-you-saved-us
- Themes: service, grief, recognition, divorce
- Life situations: receiving an award, recovering from divorce

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Receiving his Order of Australia medal at Government House under Governor Kim Beazley, Ajahn Brahm wonders whether a monk should accept awards. Two or three women working there tell him he is the only person who deserves it — his talks saved their lives after terrible divorces. Those words mean more than the medal.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

Some years ago they gave me this That's right, the Order of Australia medal. I had to go to Government House over there. Kim Beazley was the governor then. Uh to get this award. And I often wondered, should I be going to this? A monk getting awards. You just do this for no You don't expect anything back in return. And but the best part of that ceremony was I don't know actually who they actually were. I think they were working in Government House. There's these two or three ladies. They came up to me and said you're the only person who deserves this award. Cuz they too had gone through a terrible divorce or separation. They said, "You saved our life, too." And those words meant far more than the little medal which you got from the governor. And so I said, "Okay, yeah, it's worthwhile coming to get that. That is real job satisfaction.

## Teaching point

The real honour is lives helped, not the metal.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Unsure whether a monk should accept an Order of Australia medal, Ajahn Brahm went anyway, and staff at Government House told him his talks had saved their lives after painful divorces. Those words meant far more than the medal. Real reward comes from lives quietly helped, not from honours.

## Source

- [Buddhism and Ghosts | Ajahn Brahm | 10 March 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9fga9-6vFM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:02:52 to 1:03:57: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9fga9-6vFM&t=3772s