This blog has explored various aspects of giving, but one area it has not touched on is how do we learn to give . Is it instinct, are we taught or do we unconsciously imbibe it from the environment ? I personally believe it is all the three. We do have a basic instinct to share and give and we are made aware of this when as children we are asked to share and then of course we follow the example of others around us.
My first impression of seeing someone give wholeheartedly goes back to when I was four years old. My brother, then six, and I attended the same school and would eat our lunch together, that was packed in a two container lunchbox, the bigger container for him and the smaller for me. One afternoon, I dropped my entire lunch on the school ground. My brother without hesitating, gave me the contents of his lunchbox and am ashamed to say that I ate it all without even offering him a little. His friends however were more generous than his sibling and saw to it that he did not go hungry. To this day, it remains my earliest and most vivid memory of childhood and my first lesson in giving.
Today is Vijaya Dasami , Dassera, the day considered to be very auspicious. New initiatives are begun today. In South India, schools remain open today for a few hours for students to study. Many take their first step towards learning today, whether school, or music or anything else they fancy. We wish that they progress and achieve success in all the new initiatives and that it brings them joy. Simultaneously, one hopes that all those children entering school for the first time with fear, apprehension, wonder, excitement, bewilderment, imbibe some necessary lessons in sharing and giving. As adults, it is our responsibility to lead by example. So let us contribute to a cause or to many and give collectively and experience joy, the Joy of Giving.
We end with an update from AArti, a committed volunteer, on events scheduled across Chennai today. She writes :
My first impression of seeing someone give wholeheartedly goes back to when I was four years old. My brother, then six, and I attended the same school and would eat our lunch together, that was packed in a two container lunchbox, the bigger container for him and the smaller for me. One afternoon, I dropped my entire lunch on the school ground. My brother without hesitating, gave me the contents of his lunchbox and am ashamed to say that I ate it all without even offering him a little. His friends however were more generous than his sibling and saw to it that he did not go hungry. To this day, it remains my earliest and most vivid memory of childhood and my first lesson in giving.
Today is Vijaya Dasami , Dassera, the day considered to be very auspicious. New initiatives are begun today. In South India, schools remain open today for a few hours for students to study. Many take their first step towards learning today, whether school, or music or anything else they fancy. We wish that they progress and achieve success in all the new initiatives and that it brings them joy. Simultaneously, one hopes that all those children entering school for the first time with fear, apprehension, wonder, excitement, bewilderment, imbibe some necessary lessons in sharing and giving. As adults, it is our responsibility to lead by example. So let us contribute to a cause or to many and give collectively and experience joy, the Joy of Giving.
We end with an update from AArti, a committed volunteer, on events scheduled across Chennai today. She writes :
- Kalvi Daanam - today is Vijaydasami - a day that marks the start of learning. 8-10 writers/journalists will be spending time with underprivileged children, giving them a start to learning, across 4-5 institutions in the city
- Chennai is all set to get on the map for a very unique event :-). The longest ever eggless photo cake is being made and sold for charity at Express Avenue (this is one of the biggest malls in Chennai) , this evening between 5-6 PM. Every kg is being sold for rs 1500/- all proceeds will go to Mahesh Memorial Trust. The cake will be 100 meters long and will depict 75 years of Tamil cinema on the top (which will be made on edible paper). This is being done by French Loaf and Jayendra ( the person who made the lovely child with the lollipop JGW ad film) and who is a well know ad/film maker.
- Signature dish continues at the Marriott
- Inspector Rajalakshmi continues her training
- Radio Mirchi will be doing a special JGW feature this morning with messages and interviews on the Joy of Giving Week, with people across the board - who are participating in the Joy of Giving Week in various ways. Tune in at 8 AM.
Enjoy the week ahead :-)
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