"Our lives are richer when we share, and that great inner joy comes from helping others to better their lives. Achieving meaning, fulfillment, and happiness in life comes from making others happy, and not from being self-centered." (https://www.themindfulword.org/2014/joy-of-giving)
“To find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.” - "Mahatma Gandhi.
"In any profession when you lose yourself you become the art." - AR Rahman (The Creative Indians)
Last Sunday, as I was at my computer blogging as usual and my younger daughter was cleaning up the mess my 3-year-old granddaughter had made after playing with the Play Sand, a lady stood at the gate to my daughter's home. My daughter inquired what she wanted. She wanted a donation. I stepped out. She began by telling me that her husband was undergoing dialysis and that she needed money for the fare. I told her that what I give will only take care of that day and that she needed a long term solution. I asked for her name and contact number and told her that we had a charity group Persatuan Teman Setia (PTS) that could help with her groceries and food too. But she replied that God had taken care of them well and just needed some fast cash. She added that she was laid off due to the Covid-19 pandemic and would join another job in a week's time. I gave her a small amount. She needed. I had. I gave. It was a hot afternoon as she walked away with the money. I prayed that the amount was sufficient and that she would head back straight home rather than sourcing more funds on that hot afternoon.
I never expected her to turn up again. But she did come by today to say "Thank You". I was not at home then. She had asked for me from my wife. When my wife informed me about her visit, I called her up. She told me that when she returned home that Sunday, her husband was in pretty bad shape and was rushed to the hospital. He died soon after that and was cremated the following day. Again she did not ask for anything else. She came by to pass on the news of her husband's death and to thank me and let me know that the money served its purpose in bringing him to the hospital, although they could not save him. He was relieved of his five-year ordeal.
When she stood before me that day I thought that one has to be really desperate to knock on another's door for aid. Every man and woman has some dignity. They would rather go hungry then to beg. But when there is no other option or choice available and especially when they have to save a life or feed a child they drop their dignity and bring themselves to ask. I am happy that I chose to help her instead of ignoring her.
In helping others over the years through various platforms, we realized that we had created a bond between the giver and the receiver for when PTS stopped delivering food and groceries during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, and after it was lifted, and Pothihai Tharma Chakram (PTC) offered to continue the families had asked about our absence. It brings us joy in realizing that we did indeed make an impact on their lives for they do remember us.
Joy is in giving. God has kept me well, hale, and healthy. As it had been 3 years since I had a medical checkup, and as the doctor told me I was eligible for a free medical checkup, I signed on last Thursday. The results were made known on Monday. I was given a clean slate. The doctor was quite surprised at seeing the results and could not help but compliment and asked that I continue to take care of my health as it was rare for one who was turning 61 to have kept the all too common chronic diseases at bay. I am well because of my Lord. How do I repay his kindness? In BBC World's Joanna Lumley in Japan, a monk tells her "In the east, we say that you are reborn at 61 years which means going back to zero, so we celebrate this year." I celebrate too that he has kept me well all these years. I am back being an infant now beginning the next phase of my journey.
Each parent should learn to worship and pray. It might not be necessary for you right now but when you have a family to raise and your child screams in the middle of the night and you have done all that needs to be done, done what the grannies and nannies have told you, what the blogs and web sites tell you, what you gather from YouTube and yet you are lost, you either head for the nearest emergency ward, temple or healer for help. If you are miles away from them you need immediate assurance that all shall be fine. God gives you that assurance. You can rely on him to give you strength in these moments. A simple dash of the sacred ash on the baby's forehead with faith will calm the child and you down. But what we do is to rush and knock the door of another devotee who puts in hours of worship hoping that he can do miracles. Bring that miracle to happen through you. Harness the energy that God is willing to pass on and heal yourself and your family without seeking outside help in these critical moments. A Siva devotee after taking poison stood at the door of the famed late Jeeva Nadi reader of Chennai Hanumathdasan, was saved from death when Agathiyar told him to pass on the sandalwood paste in his altar to the man to consume. A woman and her daughter were relieved of her stomach ache and failing eyesight respectively when Bhogar came to treat them with herbs in Kollimalai. Many are such stories that we have come across where devotees have been saved by God just because they worshiped him. So pick up whatever you can and start worship at the altar of your home.