“For it is in giving that we receive.”
– Saint Francis of Assisi
In Southeast Asia, monks rise before dawn and silently walk barefoot around the city to collect alms.
Monks do not solicit food on their alms rounds, but people come up to them freely. This daily ritual is a service from the monks to the lay people – not the other way around. By receiving the food, monks allow the lay people to do good, to make merit.
Western thinking differs. When we give, we may feel good about giving, but only few realize that the person in need was actually the person who gave us the opportunity to do good.
There is a story of a beggar who set up in front of a large office building. Every day, a man gave the beggar a few dollars before he entered the building to go to work. After a while, the man noticed that the beggar never said thank you. The next day, he gave him a few dollars and waited. When the beggar didn’t say anything, the man asked, “I give you money every day. Why is it you never say thank you?“ The beggar answered, “Why shall I say thank you? I am the one who makes you feel better about yourself every day.“
Maybe next time, when we have the opportunity to give, we are not only grateful that we are able to give, but also grateful for the opportunity to give.
Always remember there is goodness everywhere and kindness matters.
