Yeah, I know it’s a strong statement. Came across this in my friend’s blog, not that I haven’t heard similar phrases before but this time it got me thinking.
We are all busy climbing ladders of success; at least we are giving a sincere effort to. (If you are not, then my buddy, you are doing a terrible mistake.) But where does it take us to? What do we ‘achieve’ at the end? We all know that anything material won’t take us anywhere, so it should be all the other things classified as immaterial wealth – knowledge, good will, respect, recognition etc. Really ? Gaining all this will earn you a place in history/hearts, I don’t think so. There is something beyond this that you should achieve. No, it’s not transcendence or singularility or any others that can be earned or conquered.
I believe it is not what you gain that defines you but what you are able to give.
I have heard many people saying : ‘ He has hurt me many times but still I help him in his need ’ ; ‘ She failed to understand me but still I care for her ’ ; ‘ They are never going to learn what is right and not but I will never give up on them ‘ …….all these are a kind of giving, emotional giving.
Not just that…….anything you give out with genuine feelings will earn you bliss. My last lecture for PGDM 2010 batch at SICOMS was something like that. I don’t know what happened to me that day; I spoke from the depth of my heart to the class. The essence of what I spoke was this: the best virtue they will ever be able to earn is the mindset to use their wisdom to the benefit of the less privileged. I shared with them what my mentors gave me: a vision, selfless vision, enlightening and uplifting each other by giving out your share of self. I came out of that lecture as a different man.
I am sure at least one in that class started to seeing things from a new, better perspective. I don’t have a platform to influence the lives of many, my reach is short. But those of you who can, please do it. Start giving out yourself, not just your money. Start giving out what you feel is unique in you, and naturally what you give out today will come back to you eventually ten times over – after creating a lot of difference in the lives of many.
Footnote: Like everybody else we’ll also die one day and will be waiting at the gates of heaven, and we can’t take any material wealth up there to bribe our way in.
