We sometimes lose perspective of the difference we can make when
we care more of our giving and care less of what we take.
One of the
major problems in our world today is that, so many people only seem to care about
themselves. It gets harder and more difficult to find people who actually care
about others.
If we ever need a helping hand, we find one at the end of
our arm. As we grow older, the more we discover that we have two hands: one for
helping ourselves, the other for helping
others.
The story of the
cow and the pig written by Sri Chinmoy reminds me how wonderful life could be if we
have the opportunity to share and enjoy helping other people.
There was once a
man who was very rich and very tight and stingy at the same time. The villagers
disliked him intensely. One day he said to them, “Either you’re jealous of me or
you don’t understand my love of money-God alone knows. But you dislike me; that
much I know. When I die, I won’t take anything with me. I will leave it all for
others. I will make a will, and I will give everything to charity. Then everyone
will be happy.”
Even then people
mocked and laughed at him. They did not believe him even when he assured them
that his wealth will to go to charities.
|
I shall pass through this world but once. Any
good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being,
let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again. -
St. Francis of Assisi |
One day he went
for a walk. All of a sudden it started raining heavily, so he took shelter under
a tree. Under this tree he saw a pig and a cow. The pig and the cow entered into
conversation, and the man overheard what they were saying.
The pig said to
the cow, “How is it that everybody appreciates you and nobody appreciates me?
When I die, I provide people with bacon, ham and sausage. People can also use my
bristles. I give three or four things, whereas you give only one thing: milk.
Why do people appreciate you all the time and not me?”
The cow said to
the pig, “Look, I give them milk while I’m alive and meat when I die. They see
that I am generous with what I have. While you don’t give them anything while
you’re alive. Only after you’re dead do you give ham, bacon and so forth. People
don’t believe in the future; they believe in the present. If you give while you
are alive, people will appreciate you. It is quite that simple.”
From
that moment on, the rich man had been kind and gave all he had to the poor.
We
have two hands. We take with one and with other
we give. That’s the way life works out and that’s the way to live. What we get
and what we give must balance up someday. It’s give a little, take a little all
along the
way.
