The conundrum of wealth

The real matrix of happiness is not linked to material wealth. Every one gets lot of joy by gathering huge amount of material wealth. Money is the oxygen of life. One must have sufficient means to live a comfortable and contented life.

• The contentment quotient of life cannot be measured with material wealth gathered through means fair and foul, that one may have stashed away. 
• The bliss of a contented life is the sum total of human relationships and humane virtues. 
• A palatial mansion that offers the greatest of luxuries will be nothing short of a veritable hell if there is no love among the family members living in that opulent bungalow. Restful sleep eludes the denizens of such a plush house who are consequently the poorest of the poor, judged on the real matrix of happiness.
• Modern man is addicted to desire to amass heaps of wealth, which has rendered him completely bankrupt in the absence of the virtue of real love. 
• Loving others unconditionally softens our hearts and makes us truly compassionate towards fellow human beings. Love is the staple diet of the human soul; it infuses positive energy into our mind and body. This energy is manifested in our attitudinal change, and we begin to empathize with the entire creation of god. 
• The feelings of hatred, jealousy, revenge and ill-will begin to die a natural death.
• The inner joy for which man is ready to pay any exorbitant price, is not a costly affair. One can even derive a sense of deep contentment within one’s soul with even a small act of compassion and courtesy. The mantra of happiness, you don’t need to shell out any money.
• Small acts of kindness & generosity should not be just restricted to the human world. It lends an equal amount of peace and tranquility to the heart of the giver even when it is lavished on the members of the animal kingdom. Being merely kind to men and ruthless to animals will deprive us of that sense of complete joy.

A little house well filled, a little field well tilled, 
and a little wife well willed are great riches ... Benjamin Franklin
Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point ... Bill Gates

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The art of giving

• The true Art in Giving is to give from the heart without any expectation of a return.
• A gift is something that is enjoyed by the giver who revels in the pleasure of giving something special and also enjoyed by the person who receives the gift.
• Very often it is not money or belongings that people need but a personal act of kindness, it's the advice reassurance, a kind word, compliments or a smile. 
• Sharing resources or time is never easy. There are many who have discovered joy in this simple yet difficult art. Sharing our resources, time, ideas, skills, etc. with those in the need of it may find its way back into our lives in diverse ways. Despite limitations and challenges, there are many people who have made a deep impact on society.
• Everybody has something of value for another person. It could be a kind word, a simple smile, some appreciation, the sharing of some special knowledge, even a helping hand or a bit of support during a difficult emotional time.
• With most things in this world, there is only a limited amount of what one can give away. Generosity and kindness are not bound to these same material limitations.
• Every single act of love, kindness and generosity will multiply and return many times over. The more one give the happier one will feel. The reward of charity depends entirely upon the extent of the kindness in it.
• Life's paradox is that one limit the power of giving by having an expectation of getting something in return. When one give without any thought or desire for something back, the returns will be truly limitless.
• Life is like a river of energy, continually flowing. A fast flowing river is full of life and clear water. What happens when a river stops moving? It get very muddy, and stagnant. 
• The acts of giving and receiving are a continuous process of circulation that continues the flow of life’s energies. For one person to receive someone else has to give. 
• True giving, without expectation of anything in return is as effortless as breathing. How much is too much to give? One may never know, so just give until there's nothing else.
• An ego based form of giving is giving with an expectation of something in return. This is not giving at all but a form of barter. 
• The intention behind giving is the most important thing. The intention should always be to create happiness for both the giver and the receiver.
• Giving with resentment will ultimately will come back with resentment. In this case, not giving the gift at all is a better option. What one gives out is what comes back in direct proportions to the feelings in the act of giving.

When you meet someone, you can silently send them a blessing, wishing them happiness, joy and laughter. This kind of silent giving is very powerful. When you do this, you will suddenly find people around you opening to you in joy and happiness. Make a decision that wherever you go, to whoever you meet, to give. As long as you are giving, you will also be receiving. The more you give, the more will flow back to you and be returned many times over. Giving creates a pattern of happiness, joy and love in your life beyond your wildest expectations.

Kindness in words creates confidence. 

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. 

Kindness in giving creates love ... Lao Tsu

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People who have less give more

• People who have less give more.
• Low social class participants were more generous and believed they should give more of their annual income to charity. 
• They were also more likely to trust strangers and showed more helping behavior towards someone in distress. Contrarily, higher social class individuals are more unethical. They are more likely to take things from others, lie, and cheat.
• They are more compassionate and more sensitive to the need of others.
• Their way of thinking as a “contextualist tendency” marked by an external focus on what is going on in their environment and with other people. 
• Those who have more tend to be self-centered with solipsistic tendencies that are concentrated on their own internal states, goals, motivations, and emotions.
• Those who have less are focused on the present whereas those who have more are future-oriented to a greater extent.
• Having money and high social status is certainly a good thing in many respects. Money provides comfort and security, and a lack of it can produce real hardships. But once our basic needs and even some comforts are met, isn’t there value in experiencing compassion for others and acting on impulse? Isn’t there some benefit to being sensitive to the distress of others, and behaving like the old woman in the Indian village at least once in a while?
• Everyone of us can learn valuable lessons from the generosity of the poor.

ఆతిధి దేవో భవ  ...

Life of riches, is not a rich life

• Poverty is deprivation. Deprivation of food, water, shelter makes you realize the importance of life and teaches you ways to survive, means to exist. Deprivation of opportunity teaches you that lives are unfair, you've got to accept it, you've got to fight against it, and you have to fight to find a place to stand and mark your presence. Deprivation of power teaches to take a different route, which is full of hard work and struggle. Deprivation of riches makes you fearless.
• Poverty and deprivation makes you appreciate the smaller things in life that many take for granted. 
• Money helps you achieve your goals, provide for your future, and make life more enjoyable, but merely having the stuff doesn’t guarantee fulfillment.
• There is a danger that increased income can actually make you miserable. Your desire to spend grows with it. The key is finding a balance between having too little and having too much, and that’s no easy task. Money can’t make you happy if your increased wealth brings increased expectations.
• The so called riches that money can buy actually leaves you poorer in happiness, health, and relationships.
• Rich life is purely personal. It is how you spend your time, not with the things you own. Whatever it is that makes you happy while you’re doing it, do it. A rich life is about spending time on whatever is valuable to you. 
• Letting go of anger or hurt rewards one with peace of mind, a priceless freedom. The act of forgiveness is a true testament to your inner strength.
• Gentleness is one of the greatest virtues. The ability to be strong without being abrupt or harsh is a rare and valuable quality.
• Patience isn’t easy in this age of instant gratification. With patience, you can achieve things over time that may seem impossible.
• Gratitude develops out of humility. With gratitude and humility, right actions come naturally. Gratitude ought to be a way of life. Be grateful but don't expect gratitude.
• Generosity is a sign of emotional maturity. Being generous is being thoughtful and considerate without being asked. Generous people experience the richness of life which a selfish person cannot even dream of. Selfishness brings its own revenge. Be sensitive to other's feelings.
• Kindness brings its own rich rewards—inner peace, happiness, and the knowledge that you are making a real difference in the world. It is better to treat a friend with kindness while he is living than display flowers on his grave when he is dead. Kind words never hurt the tongue.
• Compassion is to understand and feel another’s pain is a truly selfless act. It allows you to appreciate the areas of ease and plenty in your own life. What good is intellectual education without understanding human dignity and compassion? 
• Love is making emotional connection with others, whether it’s your partner, family, or friend, brings an abundance into your life that money can never hope to match.
• Vulnerability is letting down your defenses and showing your weaknesses allows others to see the full picture, not just a silhouette. Being vulnerable builds trust in relationships. By consciously letting others in, initially unremarkable relationships could blossom into great friendships.
• Contentment is realizing you already have abundance in your life brings serenity and contentment. Achieving this in a materialistic world takes a special skill.

Be a better person: Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and wrong. Because some time in our lives we would have been all of these ourselves.

The fortunate man is he who, born poor, or nobody, works gradually up to 

wealth and consideration, and, having got them, dies before he finds 

they were not worth so much trouble ... Charles Reade

Read Kalyana Sundaram - Man of the Millineum

Read Charles Francis Feeney - James Bond of philanthropy

My View:

We all get enlightenment of life, usually in later years. The winner is who gets it early. There is nothing wrong in sensual pleasures and enjoying them within the framework of social norms and laws of the land. Renunciation is not running away from life's responsibilities but changing our attitude towards life. It is important we lead our lives in such a way that at the end we leave this earth a better place than we found it. We must maintain consumption and emissions to minimum. Leading life of austerity and contentment enables us enjoy richness of life. We should thrive to fulfill our responsibilities towards nature, society, work, family and self - in the same order.

Story: Generosity pays back

A true story, happened in 1892 at Stanford University:

 …most of us only think “If I help them, what would happen to me?” The truly great people think, “If I don’t help them, what will happen to them?”

An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea. He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education.

They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.

The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1600, plus a cheque for the balance $400. They promised to honour the cheque at the soonest possible.

“No,” said Paderewski. “This is not acceptable.” He tore up the cheque, returned the $1600 and told the two boys: “Here’s the $1600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left”. The boys were surprised, and thanked him profusely.

It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a great human being.

Why should he help two people he did not even know? We all come across situations like these in our lives. And most of us only think “If I help them, what would happen to me?” The truly great people think, “If I don’t help them, what will happen to them?” They don’t do it expecting something in return. They do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do.

Paderewski later went on to become the Prime Minister of Poland. He was a great leader, but unfortunately when the World War began, Poland was ravaged. There were more than 1.5 million people starving in his country, and no money to feed them. Paderewski did not know where to turn for help. He reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help.

The head there was a man called Herbert Hoover — who later went on to become the US President. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food grains to feed the starving Polish people.

A calamity was averted. Paderewski was relieved. He decided to go across to meet Hoover and personally thank him. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his noble gesture, Hoover quickly interjected and said, “You shouldn’t be thanking me Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college. I was one of them.”

The world is a wonderful place. What goes around comes around!