Giving

Some few minutes ago, I was in the room of one of my neighbours who happens to be a bit drunk tonight, and apparently had a lot to say about a lot of things going on at the hostel.

But I won't bore you guys with the entire details, instead I want to focus on one particular topic that he talked about. Apparently, something happened to him a while back that has just refused to leave his mind due to how unhappy it made him feel.

_{photo by Billy Pasco}

According to my drunk neighbour, there had been a day when another neighbour of ours had approached him and told him that he hadn't eaten all day. So out of the kindness of his heart, he had taken from the little that he had and have given to that person, only for him to see that person later eating like a king (apparently the person had not being entirely honest about being broke), while he had to manage because he truly didn't have enough for himself.

When he told me that story, I also had told him the story of how something similar has happened to me countless times, with countless people on different occasions. As a matter of fact, I had once given someone that I thought was broke some money, only to watch him give the same money to someone else as if he had worked for the money himself.

But rather than make that thing change me and make me no longer want to help or give to anyone, I have instead learnt to understand the reason why I give to people, because understanding that reason will go a long way in helping you not pay attention to whatever the people you help do next with the help you've given to them.

I told him that ever since I came to the understanding that I give because I want to, and not because I feel someone needs it, that has helped me overlook a lot of stuff that happens after giving.

Although I have to admit that most times, that isn't always easy to do, especially when you find yourself giving someone money to buy food for themselves, only for them to return the money back to you immediately, to repay a debt that they had been owing you for a while now, basically paying you back with your own money right in front of you.

It's a crazy world out there, and sometimes you just have to focus on what makes you happy and not what makes them happy, because if you focus only on making people happy, the same people might end up acting in ways that will make you unhappy.

So give because you want to, not because you feel you have to.