The art of becoming better

"Beauty is Truth, Truth is beauty." The beauty of humanity shows the real truth of nature. And this truth bears a vital factor named 'Kindness' - that takes one to tranquility. It is a tree with many branches; like, forgiveness, gratitude, humbleness and 'culture of giving'. Among these good-deeds, 'Culture of Giving' carries a substantial meaning that brings completeness in one's life. Some of us think 'giving' means 'giving money'. But, it means giving more than just money.

In fact, a culture of giving could be a way of life. It could be donating time – to build a shelter for a needy person or offering teaching to 'those who have less' without commercial benefits or spending time with senior citizens and building relationships and eventually to support our community life together.

Whatever we donate, we can give so much more than just material things. Like, a sincere smile, a listening ear or the smallest act of caring and love are unparalleled. Real endowment is doing something good for someone who may never find out.

A wide range of research has linked different forms of giving to better health, even among the sick and elderly. In another study, researchers suggest that one reason for this sound health and longevity is that it helps decrease stress, which is associated with a variety of health problems. Studies reported that people who provided social support to others had lower blood pressure than participants who did not. Scientists have found that when people 'give' - it activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating a "warm glow" effect. Scientists also believe that unselfish deeds release endorphins, producing the positive feeling known as the "helper's high."

When people think of donors, they talk about Ambani or Buffet or big names in entertainment like Oprah? But the interesting fact is that the majority of charitable dollars come from individual donors who we seldom see across media. It is true, 'no one has become poor by giving'.

E-mail: rubaiulmurshed@shomman.org