By Gabriel Dinda.
Thousands of candles
can be lit from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be
shortened. Happiness never decreases by sharing. This is a lyric which was
enjoyed centuries ago but still
remains a hard nut to crack to many of
us. With our current society of hard economic times and lots of financial
impediments,what do you expect?Some of us have literally given up on deciphering what could have motivated Buddha
to this end-in recording this quote.
You will probably not
be surprised or it will surely be a repetition of routine by the mention of
some acts which have evolved and formed part of our names today. Activities
like throwing food to the dustbins while our neighbors die for lack of the
same have become so 'modern' that
whoever talks about them is probably recommended for cerebral scan-in case of
anything. If anything,everyone should be for themselves and God our
common denominator,right? But
wait a minute!Why have we become so selfish and insensitive of late?Why have we
developed such a callous heart and sense
of disregard for our neighbors. Maybe its because we have never taken a nature
walk to the Kenyatta National Hospital's much- talked about wards and
watch how dire our help is needed.
Again,we might have not have gotten the time
to visit Good Samaritan's Children's Home,Mathare. Until then,everything
will make little sense and indeed so normal.
I doubt if it is
rewarding to keep a stock of snazzy
outfits while someone in the
neighborhood is specifically struggling to cover the 'essential parts' with the
little they own. Honestly,you will feel more blessed and indeed you will
be,when you give such a person a single piece of linen than treating your
buddies with litres of Bluemoon (no one said it's bad). The Holy
Bible is not mum in this either.(1John
3;17);But if anyone has the worlds goods and sees his brother in
need,yet closes his heart against
him,how does God's love abide in him? Let's share what we have with the less
privileged. No one would chose poverty if choice existed and all we own is as a
result of God's Grace. It's not a requirement to give material assets to prove
this. The ten seconds you will spend with the sick telling them that,''all
will be well with your health'' or the thirty seconds you will keep the
dumped adopted baby smiling with her toothless gum is enough to translate into
lifetime moments of memories for them and indeed you shall have done your part
to humanity. Give it a try. If I were you,during my birthday,before I throw in
a rocked party of 'trusted' friends to help me usher in a new dawn, I would
first make that one person change his hunger-infested diet,I would first cover
that 'innocence' of the child whose ''responsible''parents willingly donated to the dustbin after the
''accident''. When we give to the poor,we only become better off since our
father in Heaven is never asleep. I will do my part to humanity,because it is a noble thing to do. But remember,a bone to the
dog is not charity,charity is the bone shared
with the dog,when you are just as hungry
as the dog.
Gabriel Dinda is the chief Editor for Kenyatta University Career Magazine 2014
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