Sometimes the ocean will appreciate water from a well
Little things make a great impact but we sometimes fail to see them. Instead we are looking for that big thing that will turn the world around, that big thing may never come as a result of incapacitated ability to be able to pull that great thought and materialize it into something visible.
A clear example of such little things that could mean the world to someone and we see it as nothing is a case of a child and his parents.
The child literally doesn't have anything to offer at a tender age that will tell the world that he has given something to his parents.
When you ask such child "What will you give to your mother on her birthday date? he smiles and tells you
"I don't have money"
That is because we have generalized giving to be something that can be visible, something that can be touched and something that people will see and marvel at but the child doesn't know that he gives something even greater than to his parents and in return at his age that will even prompt them to give and make sure that the child gets what he or she wants.
A child who's fee is been paid in school to acquire knowledge is been left with the responsibility of giving back the to the parent good grade which is literally nothing to them and that's because they won't use the grade for anything but what they get is the peace attached to that grade which will make them want to pay more fee and even go the extra miles of ensuring he or she gets it (knowledge) at the best and higher quality.
I could remember a wealthy man whom I once gifted a bottle of wine that was far below his class just a gift and not for anything he, when I gave him the gift he asked “For what?” And I replied just a gift I could tell from the smile I got on that spot that he was excited.
This gift was as little as anything you could ever think of compared to his status. The wine that cost 800 was given to a man who's least wine on his bar cost 15,000. Please, what do you think of such a man?
Jeezz??? I was shocked and marveled at how this man even with his level kept on appreciating me over a very minor thing that wouldn't mean anything.
When I asked why he always appreciates me? His reply was that “I made him feel what receiving a gift feels like.”
When I gifted that bottle of wine to him. He said people don't give to him simply because he has more than enough and so tgey think he doesn't need it but tell me, who doesn't need a gift? and people make statements like “How do you fetch water from the well just to go and fill the ocean.”
I just laugh at such statements and still carry out my act out of benevolence.
He said, but do you know that the ocean will live all its life without knowing what the well water tastes like? Now you imagine that you give the ocean a little taste of what the well water tastes like, then be rest assured that it will appreciate you for the rest of its life. And this is my story with you.
He said don't wait until it's big, just give the little you have. It might even have more impact than the big one you want to give.
A man who eats in a 5 star restaurant has a root, he has a tradition and might not get access to it simply because he can't bend on his own to go get some of these things like his traditional food.
Just make this food at the local level just the way everyone will enjoy it not minding his status but making sure that you prepare it the cultural way and have it delivered to him.
You will be surprised at how this man in question will be glad with a broad smile on his face eating this food and this will literally cost you nothing at your level but it means a lot to the person receiving it.
If your presence gives joy to someone then always offer your presence whatever that you observed can be given and one will appreciate please do give and a better world we will experience.
#hiveghana thank you for this beautiful prompt from the weekly engagement 108.
Yes giving isn't limited to resources as the world has normalized it to be.
One could share love and yet be more preferred than finances
If we are being honest, the reason why most people have limited giving to material things is because of the recipients. You could literally spend the whole day helping someone in trouble and sometime later, they come and ask what you’ve done for them. But that shouldn’t be the case. Just like you said I believe it shouldn’t be limited to just material stuff.
Yeah, I have encountered cases like that.
But then never stop doing it, even when they don't see it, time will surely reveal your good and it will be crystal clear how far you have gone just to make sure they are fine.