Altruism

Today I am being carried back to the day when I received my first salary. Life was like heaven. Now, I too have money that I can call mine. I can spend it as I want. Suddenly, I felt power and freedom too. There was no limit to my happiness.

My mother has always taught us to be helpful to everyone. Never fight and lose relationships for money. So, since I have received my first salary, I decided to take out a portion of it for some charity work. It was really painful. The first thought that came into my mind was, "Ah! This much share will always be out of my salary."  Then, as I sat and calculated my expenses, I realised much of my money will flow away from me to sustain me well; I am left behind with very little to save. This pictorization made me decide not to spend money on charity. The allure was very strong, but then I heard my inner voice, which said your mother never thinks she is wasting money on you. She had always readily given up her own desires and interests so that you would feel good. Today, when you are earning, giving has become so difficult because you put your needs over others first. When my mind was rumbling with these thoughts and I was finding difficulty focusing on my goals, I read these lines:

"No one has become poor by giving."

                                                                                                                                                                                                Anne Frank

Somehow, these words found a home in my heart. My first thought was drawn to my mother: did she become poor meeting our needs? NO. The second thought that flooded my mind was that of sharing my favourite cookies with my siblings. My mother has always taught us to share and eat. Even though it might be less, we will all feel full because we can see everyone enjoying the cookies with me. That gives me great satisfaction. Did I go hungry sharing my cookies with my siblings? NO. This exploration within me cleared the smog created by the brightness and affinity of money.

Then I gave my first share of my charity contribution. The peace and satisfaction after giving were beyond any happiness I ever had. This first step of giving introduced me to the biggest lesson of my life.

"The root of happiness is altruism—the wish to be of service to others."

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Dalai Lama

I would have been encased in the arms of stinginess and greed had I not fathomed my own evilness that day. The beauty of giving would have been forever gone from my life had I not listened to my inner self and overcome my weakness to give.

The art of altruism works wonders. That first step towards altruism transformed my outlook on life. When my family needed money, I never felt hesitant to extend my hand and help. I feel that I am capable of helping, which is a great blessing.

My first act of altruism changed my concept of earning money. Now I see money as a means of helping the poor and needy, helping organisations reach various people in need, as well as a capable hand who can sustain their own family anytime.

This act of altruism helped me acquire the biggest lesson of my life, as quoted in Winston Churchill's words.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023