Giving....

It is a joy to Give. One must Give all one can and expect nothing in return... these and more are statements made by many a spiritual leader, religious text and every other  preacher or teacher. If it is really a joy to give then why do we count our money before we donate? why do we select the items to give away?? Why dont we give in abundance? why do we cringe at the thought of having to part with something?

During my weekly visit to the temple the other day, i saw a child, barely old enough to speak, she very authoritatively asked her mother for money to drop into the donation box.... It was a beautiful sight to behlod.. the joy the child felt in giving.... thats the joy all these folks are talking about.... the smile on that childs face was something you dont get to see very often.... she didnt know how much she was giving and she didnt need to either .... all she wanted to do was to give... whether it was 1 rupee or a 100 it wouldnt have made a difference... wheras the mother who was handing the kid the money seemed a li'l displeased, hiding her displeasure probably fearing GOD!

I guess about 20 years from now that very same kid would be in a similar position as the mother was that day... and i believe that the world in all its glory will be solely responsible for having sprayed its paint of vile, vain, and veiled interests upon her clean and pure mind turning her into a worldly child, rather than a child of the world.

I guess we all have a lesson to learn here..... giving apparently is not about the joy we expect to experience in having given .... its  rather about the joy of having given joyously!! Lets give and let joy find us ....