Monday, August 23, 2010

Give away what you want to receive...

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life, I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a class room. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews in the world, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

#7 Give away a few pieces of change everyday.

For the most part, I think this one speaks for itself. I live in New York City, so I am surrounded by people begging everyday. It comes at you from all sides here. On the subway, on the street, on the corners that I walk by practically everyday. Some of these people are dressed better than I am, so I choose to never give them my money. Some of them either have funny signs, or entertain me as they beg, and these are the people I am more drawn to give to. It is hard to decide which cases are legit, but sometimes you just have to make the decision to give and hope that it is for a good cause.
There is a man in my subway station, and he has been there since I have been living off of this train, which is well over a year now. I usually try to keep at least a couple of random pieces of change in my pocket so that I can give it to him everyday. After a conversation with my roommate tonight, I realized that if I give this man one quarter 5 days a week for a year, then I have given him $65. That is almost enough for a bus ticket out of here, to a place where he could possibly have a better life.
I know it is far fetched, however, we never know whose life we may be changing, just by giving our loose change to a stranger, or a musician with his guitar case open, or a traveler who has a sign begging for a bus ticket, a Mountain Dew, a hug, or a good conversation.
I find that most of the time when I give something away, it has a way of coming back to me.

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