The Joy of Giving

Every day, every moment…small acts of amazing kindness take place all over the world.   Christmas and other festive celebrations in every civilisation are really all about the joy that comes from giving and sharing.   (It really is not about the commercial exchange of goods that it has become.)

Giving should be done with a pure heart, without a selfish or hidden agenda. When we give and want something for ourselves in return – such as fame, a good reputation (look at me, arn't I great!), ego, money or prestige – then we are not really giving – we are actually taking, no matter how noble the cause. 

 Tragedies, disasters, criminal behaviour and greed generally occupy most of the news agendas across the globe. Take the recent terrorist bombings in my ancestral home of Mumbai in India or the aftermath and continuing ripples as we rebuild after 9/11 bombings in New York or the 7/7 bombings in London.  In some ways the fact that the vast majority of the human population is deeply shocked and saddened by these events are a positive sign; a light in the darkness.  Let us not forget that these actions are of the few mis-guided individuals who seem to put no value on their own lives and consequently no value on life itself.  If we went to Pakistan, Afghanistan or other terrorist strong holds – we would find the vast majority of the locals would not support the killings and violence – they just want to raise their families and provide them with the basic human necessities.  It is cruel individuals who are the product of fear and lack of compassion or love that are behind these wicked acts. 

The more we pander to this fear, the more it festers and the more we the majority of good, decent, honourable people in this world get sucked in to negative emotions of hatred, bigotry, revenge and power that is behind the harm and devastation.  As the Great Mahatma Gandhi said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.”

We CAN change the balance – we always have a choice.  We can choose to focus on the wonderful, magical, extraordinary good things that exist in the peoples of every race, every religion and every civilisation.

One of the most touching memories for me and the power of giving took place on a visit to Pune, India.  I was feeling very fed up and tired and was suffering from a dodgy tummy.  I sat on a wall outside an internet café on a busy street while waiting for the generators to power up the computers following the 3rd power cut that day.  The lorries and traffic roared by throwing the dust all around.  A beautiful young woman came to the pavement near where I was sitting and brushed the broken glass away with her ragged sari.  She then lay a small blanket on the floor and gently and lovingly lay her baby on it.  She then smiled and gestured to me – sit here on my comfy blanket – no need to sit on the cold wall.  It still makes me cry when I re-count this tale and the tears are falling down my face now.  That beautiful lady, who had so little, was willing to give so much to a total stranger.  To share without wanting anything in return – except maybe a smile. I was instantly humbled and ashamed to think I was fed-up when there are so many less fortunate people in this world.  There is real suffering out there and no matter who you are and what your circumstances, there is always someone who is worse off than you.  

This brings me to recent observations.  I have been saddened that at this time of “Credit Crunch” many people who perhaps understandably have had to tighten their belts a bit – seemed to feel excused from stopping giving to those less fortunate than themselves.  Why is it that the poorest amongst us are always the most generous?  I remember as a journalist and at the time of natural disasters, more money was raised from the least well-off communities.   The poorer members of my family who survive on meagre rations always share with a visitor what little food they have.