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opposite person, listen and even check it before offering the 2) 'Fool! Have you come to die? Take these two dollars!'
dona on. This man didn't even ask, listen to me or checked these words can also be taken as an insult. One can imagine,
anything! Just he felt 'This person is in need' and immediately, 'Such an egois c man that he gives a slap on my back! If he
he took out a two-dollar note and a card as a promise to lend wants to offer the dona on, he can use gentle words, how can
job and handed over to me. In this age of unemployment who he insult me straight away with fury in mind? What is the value
gives a job to even the familiar and educated? of such rough behaviour?' If we have a low and mean outlook
While this man, without knowing my eligibility, he told for words of the opposite person, it creates a quarrel. But over
to come for a job! Kudos to his generosity! his benevolence! his here, the American took it as words of affec on and words for
selflessness! Really, he opened my eyes! What kind of his personal benefit. So it provoked love for him and changed
perspec ve does he have for money? And what kind of do I the direc on of his life.
have? He must have thought for me in his mind, that, “This American reached home and kept that visi ng card and
distressed man, my fellow ci zen and he does like this? Let me two dollars in a showcase. He acquires more and more
help and recover him from his problem. What is other good use mo va on for dona on as he looked to it, every day. As such,
of my money?' Thinking along such lines, when he is giving me years passed by, he offered plenty of dona ons during this
money without asking me, then why should I remain such a period. Now he changed his disposi on, he couldn't remain at
miser? The true purpose of wealth is in elimina ng the ease without offering the dona on and knew no bounds of
sorrows of others! in pacifying the enraged hearts of others! ecstasy in dona ng. Now, what happened? He was
Just as I enjoy in amassing more wealth, he may be enjoying in experiencing sorrow in not giving and happiness in giving!
distribu ng wealth! Wow! On properly thinking it seems true Once upon a me, it so happened that he was reading a
that true enjoyment lies in charity. Because the people who are newspaper on the dining table in the morning. On opening the
taking it make the atmosphere deligh ul. Even this is a fact newspaper, suddenly, he read the name of that American's
that there is no guarantee or trust of wealth. It silently slips off company. Actually, he had a regular habit of looking at his card.
in personal expenditures, diseases, business loss etc. In true So he immediately recognized him.
sense, we experience inner bliss in eradica ng sorrows of The news were that the creditors had struck his
others. O.K then even I want to experience the boundless bliss company with a raid, meaning that the company was under
of charity! I should take this incident as an excellent wisdom calamity.
lesson and kickoff miserliness from me and generously offer He was really shocked to read this. It extremely
dona ons to the depressed and distressed.’ trembled his conscious. He felt, 'Oh my gracious, my great
Words and incident are the same, but our life is shaped generous, beloved is in a problem? If he rendered me great
according to our outlook. purity and strength of mind and lifelong inner bliss then,
1) Pat on the back and Shouldn't I rid off his financial adversity and repay his
48 Two Americans 49