“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one”- Mother Teresa
How many times have we caught ourselves saying “someday when I have enough money or time I will do something to make a difference in someone else’s life” ? And that someday never arrives for many of us as we find ourselves caught up in the demands of modern life.
I was watching “The Secret Millionaire” on Channel Four last night. It featured an amazing lady by the name of Liz Jackson, a multimillionaire telemarketing businesswoman. Liz had lost her eyesight from Retinitis Pigmentosa ten years ago. She went undercover to Lewisham, a suburb of London to find people and communities that she could support financially. She met with some inspirational people who were making a real difference in their communities and volunteering for the sense of satisfaction and a personal need to see a positive change in others.
One could argue that being financially independent and successful Liz was in a privileged position, to be able to help others. But what then about those volunteers who had little, if any from a financial standpoint. They were obviously contributing at a higher level and for most of us it would mean stepping outside our comfort zones.
We must all realise that contribution is also possible and meaningful on a much lower scale. In Britain many people donate to their favourite charities in some form or another e.g. giving cash, volunteering, donating used items, clothes etc. Even a smile, a word of kindness or a genuine appreciation directed at another person can go a long way.
When we choose to experience the sheer joy of giving without expecting anything in return, we feel truly content and purposeful. Similarly it can prompt the recipient to do something good for somebody else.
I would highly recommend the heart warming and inspirational Hollywood movie Pay it Forward, starring Haley Joel Osment, Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt (watch a promo clip below). The catch phrase of the movie is “When someone does you a big favour, don’t pay it back – Pay it Forward”.
If contributing is this easy, why don’t we do it often? According to Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, when people are in a rush or are focusing on their own needs (and not other people’s needs), they can not be bothered to be genuinely caring and emphatic or to practice kindness in any shape or form.
The key is to take a break from one’s daily hectic schedule and practice shifting our attention from our own needs to those around us. This way we not only can meet one of the basic human needs of feeling connected but also be able to give something good to others, no matter how trivial it may seem.
So if you are reading this, do ask yourself “what can I do each day to bring a smile to someone and make their day?” Until my next post!
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