Luxuries (February 21, 2008)

I have this wonderful friend who gave me so much inspiration and words of wisdom to live by. He has this story to tell.

There was an old lady who sells tissue paper along the corner of one busy district of his city. She was often seen there peddling her wares and others see her as a pitiful woman in her old age. There were some who buy or give alms to support her living.

One day, she was spotted to be drinking coffee and the coffee is from a prominent coffee place. She was also seen in other occasions puffing a smoke. She was thrown with derisions and ugly words. She was then told that giving her alms support her craving for luxuries. She was mocked in silence.

When one gives, we are not responsible anymore where the money goes. We give because we wanted to help out. We give not to show people that we are helping others but we give because it is coming from our hearts.

The coffee didn’t come from the money she collected but it was given to her by one of the passersby. She smokes because it was the littlest luxury she can give to herself. A little something she earned by sitting amongst the smoke and noises of that business district. As for everyone, she is entitled to find some luxury of her own, to be happy.