The Art of Giving

It is sad to think that this beautiful transition of appreciation and love has been tainted over the centuries. We no longer give for giving's sake, but rather we give in the hope of getting something in return.

• We give a tip at the petrol station, but only if the attendant has filled our tank appropriately.
• We give advice to a friend in hope that when we need help, we can turn to that same person and expect a glass of wine and a pair of ears.
• We give presents at birthdays so that we receive praise from the birthday girl or boy for being 'so attentive and getting me just what I needed!'
• We give of our time in hope that we will have more to ourselves later in the day.
• We give to the poor and tell our friends later so that everyone knows how good we really are.
• We give and tell no-one, but hope that Karma notices and rewards us with our heart's desires.

So, in essence, even when we are not out to prove a point, when we are not showing off what we give and how often, we are still under the impression that what goes around comes around. Although that does not truly epitomise altruism, I guess it is a good start - at least we are starting a giving revolution of some kind, right? Gandhi, one of the masters of giving, once said:

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

There are not many of us out there who can live our lives as Gandhi did, but to honour him and his altruistic philosophies, I challenge you all to do one thing: GIVE ONE GIFT EVERY DAY. Start small - send an email to a friend you haven't spoken to in ages, pick up the tab when out for drinks with family, buy a cooldrink for the homeless man on the side of the road, do not allow road rage to affect you when driving, dedicate a day to doing what you love and give to yourself or even just decide to smile at everyone you walk past.

And as much you can, try to give just for the pleasure of giving, without expecting anything in return. You never know - you may discover a whole new version of yourself, a version you have been searching for all along!