We should be grateful to be blessed with adequacy and an abundance of fortune or capability, because we are among the few among so many of our brothers and sisters who are still in need.
That sentence might sound heavy. But think about it for a moment: if today you can read this writing from a device connected to the internet, if today you eat at least once, if today you sleep under a roof — then you are already in a position that, for some other people in this world, is a luxury.
| Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need. — Kahlil Gibran |
I was not born rich. But life's journey has taught me that fortune is not just about the numbers in a bank account. Fortune is the ability to see. The ability to walk. Enough health to get through the day. A family that accompanies us. Friends who pray for us.
And when we start counting the blessings that are not money, we suddenly realize: we are much richer than we think.
Generosity, interestingly, is not only proof of our gratitude to God. It also, scientifically and experientially, becomes a source of happiness. Haven't you ever felt happiness when you are able to give?
There is something that happens inside when we reach out to others. There is a feeling that cannot be bought — a sense that our lives have meaning beyond ourselves.
| Generosity, it turns out, is not measured by the size of the material things we give, but is measured relative to the capabilities we have. |
This is not about how much we give. It is about proportion. About the willingness to share whatever we have — time, attention, knowledge, a smile — with those in need.
This is not about how much we give. It is about proportion. About the willingness to share whatever we have — time, attention, knowledge, a smile — with those in need.
Perhaps Kahlil Gibran's words are worth keeping in mind: give more than you can, and take less than you need. There, in my opinion, lies one of the true secrets of happiness.
— Eko Pratomo