Benefits of Change

I bought Reader Digest, at Borders, The Curve, Kuala Lumpur. And a novel too, Bone By Bone, which i haven't finished reading it until now. That was about three weeks ago. I didn't have much money, but i'd just felt like spending it for books. And it won't cause me a regret though the books might be boring, or expensive.

Today I'd like to share a story, which I read from Reader's Digest (Love Without Borders, February 2010) that just touched my heart and created a new perspective of 'giving'. The story was written in a segment called 'Kindness of Strangers'. It's a real story indeed.

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WHAT ACTUALLY TAKES YOU TO GIVE CHARITY..

OR DO CHARITY?

I used to live selfishly:all my decisions were made putting my own needs and wants as the first consideration. It seems rather corny to say that one moment changed my life, but i honestly feel that it did have a huge impact on me. (me too :p)

I was on my lunch break and had left the office to get something to eat. On the way, I saw a busker. This was't something out of ordinary, there was always someone smart enough to busk near the office buildings during lunch.

As I walked past him, holding some coins in my hand, I thought to myself that he was only going to use the money to feed his addiction to drugs or alcohol. He looked like that type - young and ragged. Then I stopped, rather shocked at myself. What was I going to spend the money on? I only was going to feed my addiction on Coca-Cola and chocolate. I realised I had no right to place myself above him just because he was busking.

I stopped and dropped all the coins into his hat and he smiled at me. I watched for a while. As selfish as it sounds, I expected something more to come form that moment. I wanted a natural high or even a feeling of happiness, but nothing happened. So then I smiled and walked off, remembering why I never did things like that. It was a waste of money.

At the end of the day as I walked to the train station, I saw the busker packing up. watched him pick up the hat and empty the money into a small plastic bag. Then he walked over to a cafe counter and poured the entire contents into a tin collecting for a bushfire appeal.

He was busking for charity.

I realised just how selfish I had been. It took someone to take my money and donate it to charity for me to realise how easy it is for me to do the same. I now donate any change I have to charity tins and enjoy the feeling of happiness for the rest of the day. You could say I'm now addicted to the feeling of giving.

Amy Taylor.

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Life is teaching us. As we grow older, there's always something that happened which gradually turns us into someone else, than we were before.

It's just nice if we had time to change. And it's just nice to know that we actually have.

only one that matters. NOW or LATER?

Thanks to Him.

The One who guides us to life,

Who actually teaches us,

Alhamdulilllah.