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Dev was academically brilliant and studied in the best B school in the country. His education got him a lovely job in a huge multinational company. He got married to a girl who was educated but was not working. Three years after a difficult marriage a daughter was born. Dev was a miser and spent his money after counting it at least 3 times!! His wife was a pampered daughter of an entrepreneur who had just then lost all his money since his debtors had defaulted. Due to the psychological pressure, his wife had a stroke. Father-in-law, now broke and mother-in-law indisposed, Dev felt irritated and insecure; the little harmony in the house began to wither further since he thought he had to shoulder all the financial burden of his father in law’s family also. Instead of trying to be a source of support during this critical juncture Dev was behaving erratically and was throwing huge tantrums – all because his father-in-law was broken and his wife was a spend thrift. He fought with his wife for trivial issues and although his parents tried their best to mitigate the suffering, he went on to divorce her. He paid very little alimony since his wife did not have proper resources to fight it out. This is another instance to prove that academics alone has only theoretical interest and not of practical relevance!! High IQ has no relevance if it is not matched by proper EQ.

Dev’s parents were helpless to see the plight of his son who was so naive and to see their daughter in law suffering without a proper house and money. Dev would not permit his parents to pay his ex-wife also; so much of a tyrant, he was. All this resulted in his mother getting sick. Her BP was high, had dementia, arthritis was severe, she fell down and had a hip fracture. In the meantime his father died due to a massive heart attack.Another 4 years passed and his wife had got into a job after equipping herself and was educating her daughter in one of the best schools. Dev’s favorite pastime was to count his gold coins of 1 sovereign each. He had about 500. 1,2,3,4 … up to 500 and back!! Whenever he had a doubt, he would count again!!

Someone told his mother that if only she would give a sizeable portion of her assets and money to her daughter in law her ailments would vanish. After some thought Dev’s mother decided to give a sizeable amount of money and her jewelry without Dev coming to know of it. When she parted with her money and jewelry almost within a month’s time she got better. Her dementia was something of the past. She had a spring in her step. Now both Dev’s mother and his ex-wife and are very comfortable and happy though living in different places.

One of the most essential Spiritual qualities is the “Law of Giving”. You will get whatever you want in life if you would help many people get what they want in their lives. What goes around also comes around. Without giving there is no true life. For Success, Good health, Well Being, Happiness, Peace, Inner Growth (Spirituality) and Outer Growth (Materialism) the law of Giving comes in as an engine with mechanism for achieving Inner Peace, Deep Relaxation and Self Realization. As we give we receive. Giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the Universe and flowing is the Law of nature. Trying to stop the circulation of energy is similar to stopping the flow of blood. Keeping everything in circulation like blood sent to different parts of the body naturally (otherwise blood will clot) Exchange of gases in our lungs (Respiration), the flow of money also has to be an integral part to keep the money (Life energy) to flow.

It would be in our own interest to give but giving without expectations would enable us maintain the flow which comes back to us in multifold. The return is directly proportional to the giving if it is unconditional from the heart. The intention should be to generate happiness for the Giver and the Receiver since Happiness is Life supporting and Life sustaining. Anything that has value in life only multiplies when it is given. Giving is just not money or food or clothes or belongings a person needs but also things that cannot be seen such as a kind word, advice and reassurance, a smile or even a prayer. One of the best ways to Give is to Give Hope. We all live on hopes.

“THE ART OF Helping and GIVING - One of the greatest gifts you can bestow upon another is If someone is in need lend him a helping hand. Do not wait for a Thank you. True kindness lies within the act of giving without the expectation of something in return.

A month back the residents of our Building association assembled in the house of one of the residents who is a very senior and a respectable gentleman. Our apartment block is on the main road. When we were talking about some of the maintenance issues in our building an ambulance went past with the wails of the siren loud enough to interrupt our talking. When we were waiting for the ambulance to pass the gentleman brought his palms together closed his eyes, directed his eyes towards the source of sound and silently prayed. Sending a silent prayer spreads love and peace. This noble person was sending healing and loving thoughts to the person being taken to the hospital. I felt good like everyone else present there and for the rest of the meeting there was better Connectivity amongst us. Truly giving something from the heart is an action which would fill our life with joy and true giving without expectation of anything in return is as effortless as breathing. Just shows that deep down we are all connected although it might seem from the surface like the 2 banks separated by a river that is flowing in between.

Buddha said that before giving the mind of the giver is happy. While giving the mind of the giver is made peaceful and after having given the mind of the giver is uplifted. Giving is love in motion. The practice of giving has to be inculcated in the children who are going to be the architects of the world in future and they have to be taught about kindness, generosity which are all other words for love.

Wherever you go whomsoever you meet give them a gift. It could be a flower or a book or sweets or prayer or hope or a kind word or appreciation or your valuable time or a compliment. Love people and use things and not otherwise. The Art of Giving is to Give Now, give as much as you can, give it with all your heart, give quietly without Judgment, we rise by Giving others.

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give…