My Promo-Mentors Writing Challenge | Having a generous heart
Whenever someone tells me that I have a generous and kind heart, I honestly do not know how to react, I don't really see myself as someone who is altruistic nor do I think that I have a kind heart because at times my heart is full of hate and annoyance on certain kinds of people that I try my best to avoid. The world is large enough to not be around people I don't like.
I would like to think that those are remnants of my full-on Sith Lord days when my priority is me, myself and I. Not really altruistic behavior if I might say so myself.
Yet here I am mere hours away from the 12th year of gift giving that we do for @giftinkindph. I can say that it might be that organization that awakened my more giving nature.
The Early Years
I remember back in High School on our Sophomore year we had this outreach program that the Benedictine monks were handling, where we would be sent to a poor community and spend a weekend there. This was called Immersion, a day in their life.
We would forage and chop wood for the stoves, carry water from the river, do household chores and most of all talk to people about their lives.
It was a profoundly humbling experience and one where no one was treated specially. Some of my classmates were well off and so doing these kinds of things shocked them especially the no toilet situation, you had to use a communal outhouse.
Although 2 days might seem long and the majority of the kids wanted to go home and go back to their spoiled lives. Some were deeply changed and started their path to servitude and voluntarism.
I was not one of those kids.
Cynical Mave
To understand my psychology we have to back to my formative years as growing up I was taught to despise the poor as the concept that they were lazy, always looking for a handout or quick buck and was generally having large families that they cannot support.
Children begging in the streets are to be ignored and my Matriarch was not into charitable works because she was too busy working and building her empire.
It was the belief of my matriarch that over 80% nay 90% of the street children have been high on rugby.
Rugby is a water proof adhesive popular in the Philippines not just for glueing things together but also as a cheap means of getting high.
A cap full of the substance will be placed in a plastic bag and sold for 1 Peso or about $0.01 cent!
A way for them to forget their hungry stomach, their itchy skin and whatever pain they are feeling, It is a way for them to escape their dismal lives as they float away with their happy thoughts until they get down and feel miserable until their next sniff.
Another concept that she placed in my head is these beggars are all under the employ of crime syndicates and by giving them money you perpetuate the cycle of stealing or buying babies to be used as props.
It didn't help when one time that I gave a burger it got thrown back to my face because they wanted money not food.
Now because of those biases most people treat these kids like they are invisible. That they are worthless.
College Years
I was at this time, interning in a Psychological hospital. I knew that they needed to be strapped in, given otherwise they might hurt other people or themselves.
It was something I did not do as a vounteer but rather as a means to earn credit.
Again I was not that kind man.
Professional life
I was young, dumb and broke. I was interested in having fun and furthering my career. So charity and all those initiatives was something I was not interested. Well, all before she came into my life.
She was smart, beautiful and had strong beliefs in what she wanted to do with the world. She was infectious with both her smile and thinking. I used to joke that she could sell sand to the Arabs once she turns on the charms.
I still facepalm when I remember one of the first things I told her. She was wearing a low cut blouse that day and had a pretty necklace. I remember walking up to her and stopped and gazed at the necklace and I told her how pretty it was and suits her.
I got a dagger look for my efforts as she thought I was checking her breasts. Well, not going to lie as they are magnificent!
I eventually recovered for that and one of many things we did was help in creating @giftinkindph together with the founder and other members.
@giftinkindph
It is no secret that @giftinkindph has made a profound effect on my outlook in helping other people, It is a worthy cause to help provide a better future for these Aeta Indigineous children.
I can already imagine the first set of graduates of college from Banawen Primary School,some of them taking over the account so that it remains sustainable.
So it was her that gave me her heart in order to save a lot of people.
She gave me this heart that is moved by when I see someone need help. A heart that cares for the poor, the forgotten, the abused and indigineous.
It is the greatest gift that I have received because it enabled me to be an emphatic human being. So I still feel weird when people tell me that I have a generous and kind heart.
Greetings. Loved the story. Funny yesterday I was humming the tune that goes with the Wizard if Oz, "...if I only had a brain" or a heart. I didn't really have the capacity to love another on a deep soul level until I was about 50 yrs. old. Took that long to heal some deep soul wounds. So wonderful to see you out there with your heart. Blessings.
Appreciate the kind words mister mercury and we all have our own time and own pace of when things align.
Thank you for sharing that piece of you.
It is amazing the influence that anyone can have on us, particularly those of the female persuasion. I would count my paternal grandmother, my mother and my wife all in that category of having some life sustaining and life changing influence on me.
Life has a way of taking the innocent child we start out as, the one who is generally happy and giving, and turning them into something that they weren't meant to be. But then, the opportunities to find their way back to happiness and giving appear, often in the form of others, and those who take the opportunities find themselves coming full circle.
Humility and generosity go hand in hand Mav. It doesn't matter where we start out, only how we progress along the journey and where we ultimately end up. If we are like a child in our teachability and humility, while wise in our decision making and in our behaviors, then we are making the progress we should make as human beings, and making the world around us a better place.
Dang @glenalbrethsen, I've said it before, and I'll say it again... here you are, once more. I should just follow you around!
Be my guest, but it'll be like riding a turtle the long way around. :)
I actually need someone who I can follow. I've tried to keep up with someone else a time or two and I just couldn't come up with anything to say where they could. Still looking for my niche. :)
I do like the folks over at @tribesteemup but visit other groups too. I'm going through those who post there and selecting ones I'd like to develop relationships with. But I imagine what I'll find is you and @positivesynergy commenting up a storm! Maybe @taskmaster4450 also.
I didn't even know there was a tribesteemup until either you or taskmaster4450 mentioned. There's probably only so much positivity I can stand though. :) Okay, just kidding, I can take more.
I have seem TM talk about tribesteemup lately and saw that it has a huge delegation.
It is looking like a good Community.
Amazing comment Glen and often times life and circumstances changed our child-like wonder and kindness as society teaches us to take life with a grain of salt and some level of cynicism.
It is when we rediscover that life is good and makes us believe in the good of humanity that it becomes a great thing to witness.
My journey in Steemit has shown me how people are awesome and helping other people without expecting anything in return.
Greetings.
I am convinced that most people are good and generous. Of course there are the bad guys, but it's a minority. You were very fortunate in overcoming prejudices. Prejudice is a burden that limits us to know people, only serve to prevent us from moving forward. Congratulations for choosing the path of solidarity, love and well-being towards others. Sorry, I use translate.
I agree most people have the ability to be good but it is far easier to have the propensity to do evil and self serving.
The path to goodness is hard. It reminded me of the saying that the path to hell is lined with good intentions as people give up and take the easy route.
Mave much that happened in your life are from your past love. :) It's a good thing that you met her because she made you a loving person not just to those you know but to those that you don't as well. :)
Hahahah knew someone would be saying that.
I am glad you found your heart, maybe it was always there, I do not think tin man neededone, it was there all along and just needed someone who would see it.
I always believe that whatever we give no matter how small or big it is, be it money or other things or just a smile, a little help that those will have an impact to everyone. Imagine a stone thrown in a lake and it creates ripples. When those ripples hit a something, it goes back and creates more ripples. That is how I picture our words and actions. We should help in anyway we can and keep creating positive ripples. Maybe the person we helped will not pay it forward but it would be the person who saw your action or heard your words that might be affected and do the same thing to others.
Help in anyway we can. Create positive ripples.
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