When we give to others, it goes on forever. That’s because one act of generosity is a gift of love that impacts all eternity. In light of this, one of the most significant acts of kindness we can provide is role-modeling generosity, as generosity is a virtue we can all easily aspire to fulfill if we’re not already there.
I wanted to give my annual bonus to two loved ones, one being my dad, who is retired and quite wealthy. Papa always demonstrated unparalleled emotional intelligence and paid for my undergraduate education, including books, ink cartridges, and paper. And he always gave me $50 here and there when I lived in poverty, which was the majority of my life. He’d often take me out to dinners, and whenever I pushed myself too hard on the bicycle and fitness, to the point of exhaustion where I’d lie on the side of a road with no energy, he’d come to collect me.
I was lying on the roadside with my bicycle so frequently that one time, a cop told me that people were phoning in, believing I was injured, possibly hit by a car, and the cop warned me that if I didn’t at least sit upright, they would arrest me. I had hardly the energy to sit upright as I had spent over three hours exercising. Soon after that, Papa calmly showed up, put my bike in the backseat of his convertible, and took me for lunch at a diner.
Papa always gave his employees Christmas bonuses, gave his customers generous discounts, and gave anyone in need his financial or handyman help, although he was primarily a business owner. Papa secretly helped seniors in the community, offering them rides to appointments to get groceries and giving them emotional support. I could go on for months about Papa’s generosity with the service and finances he gave me and others.
But what is most profound is I’m starting to become like Papa. I lived in poverty almost all my life. However, through throwing proverbial spaghetti at the wall, over and over again, until something stuck, a metaphor for rising out of poverty, suddenly I have more wealth with the potential for a quarter million annual salary once I receive a certificate in leadership.
Because of Papa’s generosity, I know what it feels like not to have a spare nickel for an entire month, scrape under the couch for 25 cents for a small banana, and the subsequent joy of being given a $50 bill from him. When I see a homeless fellow with a sheet over his head, I know how that suffering can turn into a spark of joy if given even a tiny surprise treat or extra cash. And now, I am in a position to help others like Papa helped me.
Consequently, I’m donating money to charities, giving gifts, and helping others financially, and I get just as much of a thrill from it as I think Papa did. I also give customers generous discounts and go above the call of duty, even offering 24-hour customer support for our international prospects. That type of service was what forged my Papa’s success in business.
Two days ago, I phoned Papa and told him I was going to give my share of my bonus to him and another loved one, not keeping anything for myself. He advised me to keep it, and only if I have over a quarter million in the bank might he later on accept any offer of money. I told him I felt compelled to start paying him back for all his kindness toward me, and I began to cry. “How can I pay you back?” I pleaded with him.
I am becoming like my Papa, my calm hero who rescued everyone and anyone in need. He is 86 this year, and when he leaves this world, I’m not sure how I will endure it. I know, however, he’ll be in heaven! I hope that, when he departs for the afterlife, he sees all the good he has done for me and others, and all the good me and others did in turn, due to his kindness. We all experience that phenomenon. In near-death experience terms, it’s called a “life review.”
