The Day I Learned Giving

The Day I Learned Giving We are the culmination of the experiences we gather, shaped by the vigour and attitude with which we approach life’s journey. Even when people go through similar experiences, each of us may still choose a different path. We all believe our chosen path is right—yet ultimately, only time is the true judge. I was fortunate to have a protector in my life. Whenever I strayed toward a path that might lead me astray, an incident would arise that quietly guided me back. My dad always believed in giving, though it did not make sense to me then. When I was still in school, he asked me to tutor his friend’s two sons for free because their family was going through financial hardship. I accepted, though unwillingly, and continued doing it for a couple of years. One day, I overheard one of the boys speaking ill of my dad. When I questioned him, the truth spilled out—shocking and unbelievable. For a moment, I thought I had misheard him. He called my dad a fool, and he said it with a sly smile. From as early as seven or eight years old, my mind had already begun treading a karmic path—questioning, reasoning, defining and redefining my own beliefs. Situations like this put me at war with myself. A flurry of questions filled my thoughts. I was a mess, confused and torn. Was my dad right or wrong? If he was right, why was he being mocked? If he was wrong, then was doing good not the right path? What was the point of sacrificing my time and potential earnings for people who did not even respect him? While I was still struggling with these questions, the next unexpected episode silenced my confusion. One day, after boarding a bus, I realised I had forgotten my wallet. Just as I was about to get down, an old man paid for my fare despite my protests. When I asked where I could find him to return the money, he simply said, “You don’t need to pay me. If you want to return the favour, do something good for someone else without expecting anything back. Think of it as returning my kindness. This way, goodness and faith will keep circulating in our society.” That moment was an eye-opener—a perfect answer to the turmoil in my mind. It showed me how even a small act of giving can brighten someone’s life. Giving does not always have to be monetary. It can be kindness, time, words of support, or simply sharing one’s food. It can be soothing a hurting heart or making someone in need feel less alone. From that day on, the value of giving became deeply ingrained in me.