The Joy Of Giving
Throughout our course of life, we have ambitions, dreams, luxury, money, and other desires that we are constantly chasing. We have a long bucket list, goals set for the future, and an entire road map to be successful . All of us aim to be happy; we define happiness by acquiring all the materialistic elements. But are we ever satisfied? No. Have we added helping others in our roadmap of the future or even considered giving back to society, feeding the hungry, helping the poor on days other than festivals? The answer- very few of us have.
In the rapidly growing society, we chase innumerable things to be able to prove ourselves, to have a more comfortable and successful life. However, in this rat race, we put ourselves through undue amounts of stress and it ends up making us miserable rather than happy. With passing time, we have become self-centered and to a certain extent self-obsessed. A few centuries ago, before the industrial revolution, happiness was found in going for a long walk with loved ones by the lake, enjoying festivals with the neighbors, exchanging gifts, watching the sunset, children spending hours playing with each other irrespective of their caste and color, etc. Life was simple, we were content. Fast forward to the present, we forgot that the real joy lies in giving. There is a saying, ‘If you light a lamp for others, it’ll also brighten your path.’ Give whatever is in your power, a piece of your knowledge, a little money, that beautiful sweater that you cannot fit into, and bring a smile to people’s faces. Remember one thing, no matter what your circumstances in life, you always have the ability to give.
The joy of receiving is often short-lived, our lives are richer when we share. Giving rewards us and allows us to go beyond limitations. Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.’
Charity comes in all forms - you can donate your time, talk with someone who needs a friend, help an elder cross the road, teach at NGOs, donate money to the less fortunate, etc. Yet, the most rewarding form of charity is when we give something without expecting anything in return.
The history of humankind confirms that fulfillment in life comes from giving selflessly. An excellent example and a role model is Mother Teresa, the woman who put her entire life in service of others. She didn’t have money to give but with her comforting words, she made pain bearable. She was a simple woman who focused only on the welfare of everyone around her.
When people were asked, ‘why they give?’, the most common answer was because God wants me to or I feel better about myself. When you are focused on giving, you are less likely to get involved in personal concerns and challenges. It expands your vision and helps you look beyond what you perceive. It kindles self-esteem and makes you appreciate the world around you.
Giving is the best investment you can make to lead a satisfactory life. It comes from the heart with no expectations of any returns. ‘If you always give, you will always have’, goes so true. The power of giving is manifested in the kindness and generosity that you bestow on someone else.
It’s the joy and love that we extend to others that brings fulfillment. When we give, we reap the joy of seeing a bright smile, laughter, tears of joy, and gratitude for life. If people give just a little more — of their time, skills, knowledge, wisdom, compassion, wealth, and love — the world would be a more peaceful and healthier place.
The rewards of giving are priceless. It is a simple equation. If you want to have happiness, you need to give happiness. If you want love, you need to give love. It is only in giving that you receive.
We at Ayuda encourage you to look for opportunities where you can give to society, help others and yourself. The gift of joy will come to you when you give yourself to others. That’s what life is all about. Let’s practice and commit our lives to the joy of giving. Give it a try, you won’t regret it!
