This blogpost is for Indiblogger Happyhours: Lookup Stories

This is about an incident on joy of giving that happened years back, but I haven’t been able to forget it yet. It has played in my mind a number of times, and each time the memory has instilled hope and optimism in my mind.

I was newly employed then and was just a couple of pay packets old. Full of josh (enthusiasm) and happiness I had begun to see dreams and aspirations for future. All were associated with my pay packet. Mind raced ahead in time for my next increment. Mind raced ahead for a four wheeler while I was still driving my second hand two wheeler.

From family there was a constant downpour of advice on how to manage my money. Dad always cautioned not to splurge money for unnecessary things and Mom too chipped in with her ideas. In addition to saving she put in a word to help some needy person on a regular basis. She always said: There is so much joy in giving! I tried to implement this idea of hers religiously. But then in the rush of life wise words receded back in mind, until one day I saw this incident happen.

Joy of Giving

I was in my two wheeler waiting at a traffic signal. An auto rickshaw slowed down in my right side. I casually glanced at the passengers. Just two passengers. The one on left of the seat was a beautiful young lady, dressed up gorgeously and next to her was a pretty girl may be around five. She too was dressed very well, with all matching accessories. They looked like they were returning from a party, may be from a birthday party. The child had a balloon in her hand and she was clutching it tightly as if it was the most precious possession of her life. Suddenly from nowhere a beggar boy, a child of five or six, came and stood beside her begging for money.

The young mom chose to look away, while the little girl in the auto looked a little perplexed wondering what he was asking for. In a flash she gave away the balloon to him which till that moment she was clutching on tightly. Now the boy looked perplexed. His dull and tired face suddenly charged up with a happy smile. He immediately forgot he was begging for money and smiled at her with grateful eyes. The little girl too smiled back. The vision of that moment got etched in my mind forever. That the innocent girl could happily give away her prized possession with a smile was a big lesson for me! There is so much joy in giving!
The signal turned green and I drove away with a lesson in my heart: I realized that small actions like this can fill the world with love, hope and optimism.

Housing envisions a world filled with positivity. As elusive as it may seem, optimism can be found all around – in the laughter of children, in the excitement on your pet’s face when you get back after a long day, and in the smile of your loved ones when you go back home after months of being away. This is my story of optimism – optimism about life, about love, about the world and its future.