Giving While You Can

Giving while you can is the best thing that you can do to make someone happy and in the process you make yourself happy too. With this blissful thought one of the best people around me came up with an idea of entertaining a group of strangers on Christmas. So, this person, my dear friend and work colleague, Vindya Pathirana discussed her precious idea with me. I wanted to help her, not only because I was her friend, because I wanted to allow that tiny bud of idea to bloom into a beautiful flower and spread around its fragrance. Thus, we communicated the idea to the HR department of our company, SimCentric Technologies.

Normally we do celebrate the Christmas along with carols, decorations, DJs and with Secret-Santa gifts sharing within the company. But this time all of us agreed to sing along with some innocent but strong souls, to decorate their space, fresh up their lives and get gifts to the ones who really need them. The idea was a success and we ended up with an unexpected donation by our company.

When the long waited date came we all were exited, we practised well to perform in front of them. Did hard work with buying, wrapping and packing all the gifts. Once I reached to the stage we had set up in the National Cancer Hospital, Maharagama and waited for the event to start I had so many bubbly thoughts and feelings. Yes, I was wondering, “Are we causing a pain for these children with our carols event, because they have to sit inside this room and listen?”. I was struggling to see whether our effort of making them happy on Christmas would really work.

My friend, Vindya saved me from this problem by saying “Don’t worry darling, they are not being forced to come here, any kid who is willing to come is only coming, so don’t pressure you self. Wait and see, they will love the carols service, and don’t overthink”. Those words were enough for me to cool down, to chase away my guilty feeling of course.

Then I headed back to the stage, the event started and my eyes were going through each little face of these innocent kids in the audience, who had no idea of what’s going inside their bodies. The tiresome faces of the mothers, fathers who are carrying a lot with them, yes, I was seeing each of these expressions from the stage. Can you feel them? No! That is only visible to the people who can see the deep of their eyes, going into the deep of their hearts. How can the life be catastrophic for a little one, who has no idea of what a “cancer” is? Why the life is cruel for a kid that has no idea of that his/her life is far way different than the other kids?

Instead of singing I wondered into their eyes, which made me think of life in a different way. We all consume time, money and plan on our own happiness and success. Mostly we are thinking about ourselves only. But I kindly request you all, those who care enough to take a little time to think on life, to think on the people who need your help around you.

Make sure that you do your best to those people. It’s not only the money they need; the love, tenderness, caring, time and all. Heal one heart with love, lend a hand to stand up and smile. One day you’ll be glad knowing you didn’t miss those chances to make others happy. That happiness is eternal, am sure.

Photographs by Uditha Rajasekara