There is no stronger base for any society than a good value; thus, maintaining, honing, and making them luminous is crucial for societies to develop and helps prevent confusion.
Two days ago, I tweeted the statement “Happiness is not in obtaining but more in giving,” to which I received one mocking response: “We barely have what we need to enable us to keep living, how do you expect us to give?”
Do I judge this person as unhappy, bitter, or ignorant, or even blame her? On the contrary, because the art of giving is widely misunderstood and scarcely practiced by most people, and very little efforts are invested in educating them on the importance of practicing such a value in order to master it.
In addition, virtual platforms greatly contribute to distorting many people’s perception of “giving”. For many, the value of giving is practiced while surrounded by cameras, preferably a good crowd, and definitely with certificates of appreciation distributed. Otherwise, giving is not worth the effort — or so they think!
Please do not get me wrong. The distribution of food parcels and money is important and is an excellent way for society to show its support, but this method of giving is mostly occasional or limited to a circle of people.
The value of giving goes beyond material possessions, since what we can mostly do for others to bring joy to their everyday moments can be a simple gesture or a word.
All we need is to reconnect with our hearts.
We have educated minds, but do we have educated hearts?
Everything can be done beautifully if it’s done from the heart, by the educated hearts. A “good morning” can sound pleasing if it comes from the heart. A simple smile can light up a room if it’s sincere. Honest appreciation can induce loyalty, give energy to difficult tasks, and produce better results. It’s definitely not about making good conversation — it’s more about listening with appreciation.
Every person has something to give other than material things. Some give from their time, some their energy, and others still their understanding, encouragement, and interest. All of these do not require one to spend money, or only require a minimal amount if it was done with a phone call. We are all hungry for genuine expression and acceptance.
The interesting discovery is the reward one gets. It might be instant: A nice feeling of accomplishment, or an indescribable scene of pleasure. Or it can happen in an unexpected form, months later. Whatever the shape of the reward is, or no matter what and when, there is one significant realization that it is not always about money; of the many things we can give away, money in the least permanent in the pleasure it produces, and least to backfire on the giver.
Practicing the art of giving on a daily basis is another step towards creating both personal and social peace; the peace we deeply need in our troubled world.
العربية 
English