Thursday 24 April 2014

Giving and Taking ...


... that giving and taking are the same is something the wise understand.

When I give anything to my neighbours in dalitwada it is accepted with a simple dignity. And with the same simplicity, they give. They give some vegetables that grew in their farm, some savouries they might make on a festival, they give their their company, they give their counsel when things go wrong.

When the sheet is balanced, I am in their debt. But even that does not matter. Giving and taking are the same, and done equally unselfconcsiously.

I see the same simplicity in the poor of chennai. The flower seller, an old lady, accepts the saree i get her on pongal with complete dignity. And gives me flowers free at other times with the same dignity. I can only accept with humility, the generosity of the poor.

And learn from them to take with grace and give with grace ... attributing the giving to god. As Eashwaramma says to me, 'god has to give the thought of giving to us'.



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