You are all it takes!

Having observed so much unmet needs, needless struggles for the basic things of life, despair and anger in this clime, and what the government is not doing right, I came to one conclusion and, that is…the government cannot do it alone.

It will take your efforts (as well as mine) to make the much needed difference in the lives of those who are not as privileged. That is to say that you and I can help make life easier on our fellow citizens as well.

My newest mantra is… I AM ALL IT TAKES TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, and SO ARE YOU!Being charitable, in my own way, is a new level of consciousness that one is beginning to explore and the feeling has been very fulfilling.There is nothing as fulfilling as knowing that “you were there for someone when it mattered most”, that you helped wipe a tear off a face, that you gave someone a reason to hang in there and that you helped make the world a fair place.

Life can be hard. And it has also rubbed off on the world we live in and humanity is the worse for it. People don’t care about others anymore. But I strongly believe that you and I can help break that chain of unfairness, if we each look closely around us and choose to be useful in any way we can, that is, being useful to your community and meeting a need that sometimes will cost you very little or nothing ordinarily.

It does not make sense that you have more than you need while someone out there is wallowing in squalor, struggling for the basic things of life that you and I have in abundance and often take for granted.We have become so absorbed in our quest for more acquisitions and immediate concerns that we almost never spare a thought for the less privileged in our midst.

I have just started tasking myself to ensure that a percentage of my income goes to charity, which is aside the “unforeseeable situations” that one runs into and often helps out with.

Since I made that decision, my life has never been the same. One tends to get less carried away by materialism, it has given me immense joy in the simple things of life, seeing life from a different angle-that is.

I now know that, there is more to life than “acquiring” and it has enabled me to be more appreciative of the blessings of life. One is more contented with what one has and even willing to share, however little it may seem.

In the past, all one ever felt was the fear of lacking and then you keep on acquiring, it is never enough, you sense lack in the midst of (even) plenty. There is never contentment, you get carried away by other peoples’ possessions and so you drive yourself hard to keep on acquiring.

We make life the “competition” that it is not!This is just saying that “I must be there” in some way, somehow, for the less fortunate ones, in my own way. I must make my own contributions in making life bearable for the disadvantaged in the society.

What about you?
You can choose a workable plan, as regards making a difference in the lives of the needy around you. It could be via your finances, your time and knowledge or efforts. If you can’t make a personal effort, you can identify with some reputable charity organisations and do your bit through them, you can also mobilise your friends for a particular charity cause.

Abroad, people work as volunteers at shelters and soup kitchens. But here, we have orphanages, homes for children with special needs, old people’s homes or get involved in prison and hospital visitations.

You can even mentor the young ones around you, train a child from a poor home in school, give a promising youngster a hand up the career ladder through advice, sharing insights and experiences…just the gift of your time.

We see people dying everyday from very treatable ailments due to lack of funds, you can do something about such cases, if it is within your capacity to do so, or you mobilise friends and contacts for the cause.

The point that I am trying to make here is that there are so many ways to be actively involved in charity without really sweating it. Think through it and decide which is dearest to your heart. Start from your immediate environment!

Life, to me, is a wall that can never be built so high, no matter how much one tries. You can’t be truly happy when there’s so much suffering around you and you aren’t lifting a finger to make a difference…in your own way.