Blessed With The Gift Of Giving

Dear Readers,

It’s always a joy heading into this fun festive season – we’re all happy to be done with the monsoons and the potholes and water-logging and those serpentine traffic jams – our spirits are painted over in mood-changing shades of sunshine and vibrancy!

Many of us are busy bustling from mall to mall and store to store, or simply going crazy shopping online, unwilling to miss the lucrative Diwali and other festive sales – caught up in a frenzy of shopping for ourselves and our loved ones. We’re happy delving into our pockets, depleting funds we’ve managed to save up so we can buy that sexy piece of clothing or jewellery or that latest gadget. For some, however, it’s also a time where we feel guilt because we don’t have as much to buy our children or loved ones the gifts they wish for. For them, the festive season is another depressing reminder that they do not, and can not, have what others have.

But, what is really the true essence of the festive season, of these auspicious days and festivals? Be it Diwali or Dussehra or Christmas or Navroz – beyond the celebrations of various histories, beyond our grudgingly giving into the commercialisation and consumerism, beyond the sheer short-lived pleasure of holidays – what is the one common human sentiment that shines through it all? It is the magic of reconnecting with our humanity, where we revel in the warmth of receiving and giving… and with slightly more introspection, we realise that the real thrill lies, quite simply, in the gift of giving.

Sometimes we get caught up in our busy lives and we forget both truths – that there are people out there who need our help, and there are those who are willing and wanting to help. There are moments in our life where we get to discover what it means to be grateful to be on the receiving end. But the real sense of gratitude hits us when we are able to be on the giving end – to simply be in a position to give – and understand the essence of humanity. It is true – the sense of gratitude felt by givers is far greater, because giving is a privilege, not an obligation.

As a community, we are far more blessed with resources than most others – sometimes that resource is money, sometimes it’s products, sometimes it’s our services, sometimes its regaling others with our talents, and other times it’s just simply our time, our presence. One way or another, we are abundantly blessed, to experience the incomparable sense of pleasure in our humanity, with the gift of giving. Our great history is nothing if not inspiring lessons in magnanimity and charity and giving. Let’s continue that compassionate tradition this festive season and realise how blessed we truly are, with the gift of giving!

Wishing you all a Happy Diwali and a fabulous festive season ahead, full of giving!

– Anahita

(anahita@parsi-times.com)