Brian Tracy once stated “Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.” This best captures the gist of the law of Giving and Hospitality. The law is pegged on three key pillars. First and foremost, it stipulates that you should give without expecting to get anything in return. Accord the universe some latitude to work its magic and fulfil your desires in the way it sees fit. In this regard, keep an open mind since a sheep might beget a lion. Secondly, your actions have to be in perfect alignment with your beliefs. In other words, you must give to the things you believe in. Giving in this regard does not necessarily have to be financial. It can take the form of time, energy or effort. Lastly, shun the idea of competing with others. Instead, push them to go higher. As a result, you will rise as well since you cannot get negative results by doing positive things.
Karma refers to the force that is generated by a person’s actions. The law of Giving and Hospitality is one of the subset laws of Karma. The interconnection between the two can best be explained using a journey. Consequences of actions are usually found at the tail end. Therefore, if karma is the destination, the law of giving and hospitality could very well be the vehicle used to get us there. Eddie Harris once said that the ship that you’re waiting for to come in, may very well be the ship that you need to build. With that said, you need to build the vehicle using the small acts of giving every now and then. Little by little, the bird builds its nest. Similarly, your vehicle will take shape and within no time, the destination will draw nigh courtesy of the law of giving and hospitality.
Upon completing my studies in the land of opportunity, I returned back to the motherland and shortly thereafter, I landed a job. The initial compensation was barely enough to cater to my needs but I made the best of it. If life has beaten you severely and your face is swollen, smile and act as a fat man. No sooner had things started shaping up than I received a lesson in taking responsibility. As a result, I barely got to enjoy the honeymoon period in between bachelorhood and family life. One afternoon, I received a request to host a relative who was a college student for an extended period of time which essentially covered the duration of studies. He had barely scratched the surface of his first year and so he had ways to go. I accepted to give him a place to stay.
In as much as there was a little dent on the budget, he helped in making heads or tails of what transpires in the kitchen and for that I am grateful. A fowl does not forget who trims his feathers during the rainy season. In the final analysis, the decision turned out to be worthwhile and I would definitely lend a helping hand when called upon to do so. I gave without expecting returns. However, I got some payment along the way in unexpected ways not in the same form. In this regard, a sheep definitely begot a lion contrary to logical expectation.
There is an African proverb that makes reference to how you ought to look for a dark goat first in the daytime because you may not find it at night. Meaning you should order your goals and follow them before it is too late to accomplish them. In the same spirit, I was on a personal reflection journey one evening when I was jolted back to reality by a phone call. On the other end of the line was one of our local church leaders. After exchanging pleasantries, she wasted no time and without further ado she delved right into her request.
I briefly mulled over the request to do the bible reading in the upcoming service and agreed to it. The affirmative decision was informed by one of my long term goals which fell in line with the request. I figured that my love for the podium and inner strive to be an excellent orator would be enhanced via making use of such opportunities. On that basis alone it was a no brainer. To date, I have continued to volunteer my services to the church and I believe that my actions are in alignment with my beliefs or aspirations. I stand to be corrected.
When two Elephants meet on a narrow bridge, they cannot go anywhere until one of them lies down. Sometimes, people need to pave way and help others succeed. This is easier said than done since most people are conditioned to compete at all costs. It takes a great deal of effort for most people to realize that life is not a zero sum game and I am no exception to the rule. During our childhood we relished the idea of playing in the outdoors for an extended period of time with little restriction. We rarely caught a glimpse of both sunrise and sunset while in the vicinity of our home.
One Sunday afternoon, my aunt paid us a visit. She was accompanied by my two cousins. No sooner had they arrived than their bicycle was offloaded from their car and we took it for a spin. Four boys going after a scarce commodity is a recipe for disaster. My best friend, cousins and I were on a collision course fuelled by intense competition. We initially agreed to take turns. However, midway through the rides my cousin saw it fit to short change us. Before reaching the waiting area, he made a U-turn and went back to the other end essentially milking an extra trip. This went on a few more times and he became more emboldened. His pace increased and he came even closer before heading back.
In as much as we were upset, there was little we could do besides watching and in any case it was his bicycle. Therefore, he had every right to do as he pleased. Karma had other plans. As he attempted to maneuver a turn and head back, he hit a rough patch. He was sent flying into the air and landed with a thud on the dirt paved road. We couldn’t help but laugh and felt that it served him right. The front wheel rolled away in a different direction and was punctured by the barbed wire fence which broke its momentum.
Shortly thereafter, he got up, dusted himself off and picked up the pieces. Even though this happened to him, it could have happened to any one of us because we harbored similar thoughts driven by competition. After the dust settled, none of us benefited because the bicycle pieces were hauled off. In conclusion, contrary to what happened in this case a better outcome would have been achieved in the absence of competition. In Japanese, there is a saying that goes “If you want to take your boss’s position, push and help them to get to a higher position.” Most people do the opposite and take the low road by sabotaging others to get the upper hand. This one requires a paradigm shift and I admit that I am no saint. Therefore, the third pillar of the law definitely needs more work.
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