Quantcast
Channel: Sustain Everyday » Uncategorized
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 13

Humility for Humanity – The Act of Generosity

0
0

Jainism is an Indian religion that walks the path of non-violence towards all living beings and transcends equality between all forms of life.  Annually, Jains take part in a week long festival called Paryushan – engaging patrons to act in togetherness, forgiveness, and generosity.  Many fast and meditate during this festival to cleanse themselves of bad karma.  As a practicing Jain, I am excited to share insight that aligns with my beliefs and is shared across all religions.

Today’s Inspiration: I recently went to temple to hear one of the most inspirational speeches I have ever heard in my life.  I had the opportunity to listen to Nipun Mehta speak. Humble and soft-spoken, Mehta came to the stage, briefly introduced himself and immediately caught the attention of every person in the room.

628x471

After he got married in 2006, Mehta and his wife Guri decided to take a 1,000+ kilometer pilgrimage in India.  They sold a majority of their possessions and off they went.  They lived on $1 per day and depended on the kindness of strangers and nature to ensure they had food and a place to sleep each night.  During this journey, he came across these life changing moments that he expressed during his speech. He painted this beautiful canvas of generosity and kindness, and the brushes that he used to paint were his simple, yet captivating real-life stories.

The School Janitor

Shakuben is janitor at a school.  She barely makes enough to support her family. Now one would think, what kind of a difference could she make?  After all, we live in a society where if you have a fat wallet you are seen as someone who can make a difference.  And while this may be true in some instances, Shakuben did not have this luxury.  But as the janitor, she came across items that easily were one’s trash and decided to make them another’s treasure.  She found pencils that had been sharpened nearly to the nubs in the trashcans and decided to give them to impoverished children that did not have these essential writing tools.

The Rickshaw Driver

Raghu is a rickshaw (taxi) driver in Ahmedabad, India.  He, similar to Shakuben, barely makes enough to support his family.  And yet, he took a chance on the act of generosity.  He decided to turn off the fare meter.  Every person that got into his rickshaw was given a zero balance as they reached their destination.  Raghu told each customer that the customer before them had paid for their fare.  His generosity reverberated empowerment within each customer, as they were then given an opportunity to pay for the fare for the customer after them.  It brings new meaning to paying forward.

The Reverend 

Debra is a Reverend at a local, Southern California Church.  One day, while she was brushing her teeth she looked down at her faucet and realized how effortlessly water flowed out into her sink.  She then started walking around her home and noticed all the basic, but essential things that were given to her – running water, a working sewer system, and even the nicely paved roads outside her home.  Out of gratitude, she decided to purchase cookies and beverages for her local Public Works department. Shortly, after her act of kindness she received a call from the Director of the department.  Tearfully, he stated that in all his years of service for the City, he had never received such a kind gesture from a local constituent.

It’s these small gestures of kindness and generosity that will allow us to feel more connected to one another.  Which is why I am encouraging everyone one of you to pay it forward, in which ever way you can.

photo (1)

———————————————————————————————————

Nipun Mehta was born in 1975 in Ahmedabad, India and came to USA at the age of 12 when his family moved to Silicon Valley.  He graduated from UC Berkeley with a dual degree in Philosophy and Computer Science.  He is highly sought after for his dynamic inspirational talks.  He is the founder of Service Space, an all-volunteer run non-profit organization with a mission to enable individuals to contribute in meaningful ways to world around them.  Additionally, he has created a video platform called KarmaTube, showcasing videos that will “be the change we wish to see in the world.”

 


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 13

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images