A GIVING PERSON

Some days ago, the little ones – 5 to 10-year olds – had their last session.

“Sweet hearts, we will have a nice party on the last day,” I announced two days before that. 

“Aaaaaaay!!!” the little fellows started jumping in the air.

“Sir, we will do that… we will do this…” the ideas started floating freely. 

“I will bring pineapple-flavored muffins,” Satvika said.

“I will bring chocolate-flavored,” her friend, Anushree said. 

“Sir, I will bring Dairy Milk chocolates,” screamed Laksh. 

“I will bring Munch,” announced Kaushal… 

“Sir, I will bring biscuits,” … “I will bring wafers,”… “I will bring paper plates…”

“Sir, I will bring Maaza”… 

“No… Slice is the best…”

“Okay darlings, I like that… So sweet of you,” I complimented the little ones for their oozing spirit. “But, have you asked your parents?”

“NOOOOO!!!”

“Then?”

“They will agree.”

“SOOO sure?”

“YESSSS!!!”

“Okay, Slice, Wafers and Paper plates are from my side, okay?” 

“DONNNNE!!!”

On the party day, it just flooded with goodies!

Each and every kid had turned up with something… and, I will tell you this: They were so happy!

I was moved to see the enthusiasm and spirit. 

“Now, this is what I call as a ‘Giving personality’, 

I declared, 

“Sweethearts, always be like this… 

Be a ‘giving person’… 

 

“Yesss Sir,” they promised.

“You know why you have to be a ‘giving person?” I asked.

Almost all the hands went up…

“Very nice,” I applauded, “I am happy you know why.” Then, I added, “Darlings, the more you give, the more you receive.”

The kids were so excited about their ‘giving quality’… 

“Sir,” six-year-old Akul raised his hand.

“Yes beta Akul,” I urged the little fellow. 

“Sir, those who do not give are called ‘misers’!”

“Kanjoooos,” Paramveer clarified.

“Do you all like to be called that?”

“NOOOOO!!!”

I took the train to a slightly different direction, now. “Little hearts, you do not have to spend money and bring goodies like this, always, to become a ‘giving person’,” I told them, “You can give a charming smile, a sweet ‘thank you’, a loving compliment, a hearty  promise to help, a nice pat on somebody’s back… be with your friend when he or she is feeling sad…”

The little ones started raising their hands, once again… They had stories to tell: How they had been a ‘giving person’!

                                     

“I am so proud of you, my sweethearts,” I praised with all my heart, “You must keep it up, always.”

Then, I told them that story of ‘Two Seas’ in Palestine. The one who receives from the river Jordon and always gives… the Sea of Galilee. It buzzes with life and freshness… People travel by it, build houses along it, little children play on its shores, trees grow by this sea and give delicious fruits, and plants grow there and offer lovely flowers, Merchants do business and grow prosperous… and, boats sail by humming their songs… as birds fly over the sea with their own songs… 

“Yes, dear children, this sea is so nice, so rich and everybody loves it… because, it always gives more than it receives… It is a ‘generous’ sea.”

“Sir, what about the other sea?” the faces posed the question.

“The other sea is the ‘Miser’… the ‘Kanjoos’,” I said, “It only keeps taking from river Jordon… and, keeps what it receives only to itself… It never gives to anyone anything… It never shares… So, it is not liked by anybody... No one builds their houses by this sea… No trees or plants grow by it… The Merchants choose another route and the boats and the birds, too. There is no life around this sea… and, that is why call this sea – ‘the DEAD SEA’!”

The party was about to start. But, the story of the Two Seas had made them forget about the party for a while. 

“You want to be like the Dead Sea, a ‘Kanjoos’?” I asked my little ones.

“NOOOOO!!!”

“Very good!”

“Now, let the party begin,” I played on full blast their favorite, ‘Bum Bum Bole’ song.

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: 1. Lionel Saldanha

         2. Manohar Kadam