Sairam friends,
This morning, my favourite Dog Snowy saw me while I was walking from the parking space. Usually, I make sure that I feed the Dog if it saw me. So I went to the canteen, bought biscuits and gave to the Dog. The past 2 days, when ever I feed the Dog, couple of Men who are sweeping were speaking to each other that “He’s feeding the Dog everyday. Who is giving us?”
One of my friend who passed through them told me, today also they were saying that this guy feeds the Dog everyday. I don’t mind getting them biscuits too but it won’t be nice if anyone else notices it. It will get them into problem at work. Think I must try my best to avoid feeding the Dog when they are around. Having said that, It made me realize that I must tell you the truth about “Giving food”.
If you want to feed someone really hungry on any purticular day, you must go in search of them
If you are in India, the easiest way to feed someone hungry is to go near any famous temple and give food parcles to people talking alms outside temple. You think so? That could be true in few cases. These days, I have seen beggers accept food parcles and waste it.
Beggers expect money and we never know how they use that money. Even in Shirdi, I have seen such beggers taking alms in the day time and going in Bike during evening having liquor. It happened during my 2007 trip. Now a days, I hope they have better security around the temple complex.
My writings must not stop you from doing good. My point is this..
If you wish to feed someone really hungry, go in search of them. You must take some efforts to do it. You never know who really is in need of food.
Lets say, You have gone to a new town and don’t know to locate a nice hotel. Even if some strangers appears infront of you and guides you to the right hotel, he has done a “Good Karma” that day.
Many of you are misunderstanding “Giving”
The past 2 years, I have a habit of purchasing 50 pens and keeping it in the cupboard near my place. I give it to the HR guy to store it. When ever anyone asks for a Pen,this guy unlocks it and gives to them. Two days back, when I bought these pens to keep in office, 2-3 guys gave this advice me to me
“Give to people who are needy”
I understand. I also go to a small orphane 5 kms from my house but that’s not always possible. I personally believe, We must also do little we can to people whom we interact with regularly in office.
Here’s the problem on how people misunderstand giving.
Its not necessary that you must give only to people who are poor.
Its equally good, if you give anything to someone who needs it desperately in that purticular moment.
Since some guys cross my place to go to meeting room, I have experienced that they search for a Pen. So I thought it will be nice to have some pens in stock to give them. The company will do it but when someone asks me for a Pen, I take it personal.
Its afterall a pen.
You must apply the same in various issues. Never think that you must only help people who are needy.
You can help anyone at any point of time if that’s going to make their life easy.
A Story
A Man who lost his job due to 2008 recession in the U.S, started teaching Math making simple Youtube videos. It was meant for his cousin Nadia who was not so good in Math. He had a small link for anyone to donate to him through Paypal. Is he poor? No. He’s just seeking contribution from people who are willing to donate to him. He usually receives 10$ or 100$ Max.
One fine day, He received 10,000$ in his account as contribution. He was surprised and mailed the women who contributed. It came from Ann Howland Doerr, wife of John Doerr – The venture capitalist who funded huge companies like Compaq, Symantec, Sun Microsystems,Amazon.com, Intuit and Google.
Later, he met her in a Coffee Shop. Ann encouraged him to do more videos to educate children free of cost. Very soon, Bill Gates mentioned this guys name in a huge conference that he uses videos made by this man to teach Math to his kids.
Today, KhanAcademy is a Non-Profit supported both by Google, Microsoft and several others. Millions of kids around the globe learn free of cost through Khan Academy. The story is about its founder Salman Khan.
Think about it. Why should a women send 10,000$ to this man making educational videos on Youtube? Why not just 10$ like any others? If She also had only donated 10$, Salman would have left this work once he got the job and he would have not got time to make more lessons on Youtube. This lady would have realized that the value Salman creates is substantial and wanted him to do it continuously.
Billgates later invited to meet Salman and backed him.
You must understand one big truth about life. Money is everywhere dear.
You just have to focus on what you can do to solve someone’s real problem in this world. Money will come naturally.
Introspecting the way I speak
This is not the first time I write about my concern about the way I speak. Its one of my biggest weakness. I don’t know how to speak in most of the situations. So its better if I shut my mouth and keep calm.
Few years back, I had this friend Lavanya who was in the U.S. I saw her on Web cam after many months. So I told her “Lavanya…Nee Semma ………….iruka”. I din’t mean to describe her. I took rights on her as a friend and made fun. She immediately got upset with me and told me “That’s not the way to talk to girls”.
I told her, then, how to tell a girl that She has put on weight in Tamil? She replied “You must say —Nee poosna maari iruka”.
I don’t know about that but basically, I felt bad of myself because I din’t expect She will get upset with me.
I must be careful with the way I compliment girls
I work in a place where the culture is very conservative. At times, If a girl I know looks good, I immediately complement them. Few month back, one of this girl was in White Chudi and I told her “You look good in White”. She smiled. But I kept asking myself “Why did I say this to this girl? What if She felt bad?”
Thankfully, She took it as a compliment. I hope so.
The reason I write about this is because..
Today, while I went out with my friend for a break to the sandwitch shop, I saw the girl I came across outside office on a Saturday before 2 month. I couldn’t recogonize her but She stopped when She saw me. I walked to her and without thinking twice, I told her “I was thinking if its You” and added
“You look slim today”.
She smiled and moved away but again I asked ‘If it would have been much better for me to shut my mouth because I just know this girl. She’s not my friend to compliment.
Today, When I came across this girl in the shop, I felt probably, She din’t like it.
I know that I have a problem in speaking. I suddenly speakout what ever comes to my mind. Wish Saibaba gives me buddhi to change this habit.
Anyway, That’s all I wanted to convey today.
If you are good in speaking, speak. Else, better be calm. In most situations, being calm and just smiling can do more good to you than speaking.
Why should I write about this?
Until now, its OK that I did several mistakes in my life. But as I am getting old, I must change myself.
Though I seem to be happy, every single day, I get into depression especially since Sai showed this girl at work in dream and left me alone to face the consequences. Yesturday, I kept asking Sai in my mind, “Why all this happened?” I had never spoken much to this girl but probably, I had mailed her too emotionally in 2016 which must have annoyed her.
Now, I feel that I must have avoided all the mails I wrote to her. What did I achieve doing so? Explaining her over and over is wrong. If Sai showed a dream, I must have kept within myself. How happy my life would have been had I kept everything to myself? Until now, did Sai do anything to prove he has a part in what ever I did. I am hurt by the way Sai let me down but what can I do? He wants me to go through this. At times, When I go to temple, I look at Sai and tell him
“You are happy right? You embarrassed me and happily smiling”.
Well, he continues to smile because I am nobody to him. It hurts me now. Sai has to answer me someday. When Sai does good to me in so many other ways, I ignore this issue but suddenly it creeps into my mind.
Anyway. I have decided that hereafter, I must not spontaneously compliment or say anything to any girl or guy. I must think twice and speak. That’s good for me.
Few month back, there was a news about President Trump. During his trip to France, when he came across Frech President’s wife, Trump told her “You are in such a good shape”.
The whole media and Twitter trolled President Trump. Asusual, he never bothered it. But I learnt a lesson.
If you are in a good position or as you grow old, people expect you to speak what you are supposed to speak. Not a word beyond that.
March 23rd is my Mom’s Birthday. Few years back, I made a website especially to spread the value of speaking good.
I made Sahasranama.in when my Mom had wound in her mouth and She suffered a lot. So I told Sai, that I will spread the whole world the greatness of speaking good. Trust me. Gradually, my Mom got healed!
Here’s the article –
Art of Thinking and Speaking Good
Last night, I did not had any dreams. Today, I believe Sai will bless me with a beautiful dream.
Am gonna sleep now.
Om Sai Ram
Venkat
