It was just a day left for Diwali festivities to begin. Outside, it looked like the whole world was preparing for all the fun and gaiety which comes along with the festival. But we were inside. Inside the hospital, sitting on the spare bed, trying our best to make the inside atmosphere, if not festive, atleast a little lighter with our banter. While Didi was going thru her chemotherapy. Not sure which one, had lost count in the past two years. Didi was in pain. But as usual, hiding it behind one of her sunny smiles.
That day, the hospital was nearly empty. Didi didn’t have her usual ‘friends’ who came for their chemos and shared their experiences while the injections worked on them. The staff was busy decorating the walls with flowers and lights. One of the nurses told us that they were entitled for half day and were free to leave once all patients were gone. Didi heard this and was all pale. The fact that she was holding the nurses back was far more painful to her than the injection and her sore body. She apologized to them for the same and we could see hearts melting. Such thoughtfulness from a person who was buying time from death with these painful chemos. That was didi for us. She immediately asked us to remove money from her purse and give Diwali baksheesh to the staff. And we did what we were told, fighting our tears back behind forced smiles. And the list goes on of her generosity. While fighting cancer with all its pain and suffering, she never lost her ‘touch’ of loving people and 'giving' whatever she could. For me she is the epitome of 'Giving'. But life did gave up on her, last November…
The Art of Giving is nothing but exploring simple ways in our hectic lives to ‘give’. You don’t have to go to great extents, think of easy and effortless ways to make a difference this Diwali.
- Stop your car at non-peak hours next to a roadside pavement and give used toys and clothes. The beaming faces of the kids will be fresh in your memory for a long time to go. And yes tag your kid along for an unspoken lesson of life.
- Visit an orphanage and gift a Diwali to its inmates. Whatever it you can give. Might be one of the rare Diwalis they would have in their entire life
- If you can slightly reduce the budget for gifts for relatives, instead surprise your maids and drivers this year with something more than you usually offer.
- Give cards and gifts of only NGOs for passive giving
There are many more such ideas. Have spelled some here which work for me. What will work for you…bring it on!
