Thursday, February 07, 2008

"The one with giving, for the sake of giving..."


I was deeply moved by an article I read in the newspaper on the dilemma of our starving brothers and sisters in countries such as Africa and Haiti that have suffered so much from poverty - that they'd consume mud cookies as a staple for daily nutrition. It's particularly hard, in this new-age reality to see occurrences of good Samaritans in masses. Money, I presume is the root of the cause. Be it that money makes the world go round, and probably it's money that keeps food on the table but in retrospect - it has also caused the poor to become poorer and the rich to get richer. Corruption, is what has became of values.

I've often had numerous conversations with many dear friends about how important it is, especially now, to give more than to receive. The noble gesture of giving without having a catch. Without needing a reason. Being kind, for the sake of kindness and nothing else. Be truthful to yourself, when was the last time we did a good deed onto another without hoping for something in return? Helping out another without feeling obliged? Being nice to someone without any ulterior motive? It is when we look at the person in the mirror that we get perspective onto how we have evolved as a person.

I believe that I've been lucky. Blessed with surrounding people and family who loves me for who I am, blessed with the many great things going on with my life; a job with great prospectives, paying salary with affordable income, time to spend doing things meaningful to me, and a person to share love unconditionally that is my sweetheart. I am thankful to God Almighty for all these, but sometimes I think that there's reason behind the splendors. I feel a sense of guilt and shame every time I see a beggar on the street, at pasar malams, conditions of people far less fortunate than me everywhere. What they'd sacrifice to be in the comfortable conformities I own, that I'd sometimes also complain about on bad days. How much more lucky I am compared to them. For every RM10 I waste to food, they'd use for a weeks' sustenance. For every extra money I have monthly that I spend shopping the unnecessary for myself, they'd use to buy new books, shoes and clothes for their children for school. To replace the old worn-out ones so that their offspring would have a choice than to succumb to a fate similar as theirs when they grow up.

For that realization, I promised myself to always make it a point to give alms whenever I can, wherever I can, how much I could. I try to make good onto anyone, close-knit individuals or mutual friends. In a way, the reason why God gave me all these blessings in excess is probably so that I could share it with people who're having less; so that I could improve myself as a person. So that I could teach myself an invaluable lesson - the lesson of humbleness and humility. The lesson of gratefulness. So that I can ignite in myself the sense to be kind for the sake of kindness. Belajar untuk tidak berkira tentang apa-apa sekalipun...they'd say in Malay. And for that God would bestow another gift onto me when I give unconditionally; the sense of selflessness, the triumphant feeling that the world's been a tad better from the small good that I've done. That hopefully this small act of kindness would at least change the course of the day for the better of another. And that this puny kindness would in fact, inspire more kindness.

Every big change I know - starts with a small move we make. Why wait for our children to eat mud-cakes in the future, when we can inspire change everyday from the moment we leave our beds?

p/s : Thank you Allah, for all the blessings you've bestowed onto me and every single living person in this wonderful world of yours. I pray hard everyday that we're are capable and worthy of your Jannah. InsyaAllah....

-JeP

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