(KP-5) Doing Small acts of Kindness in Everyday Life and Sharing it
Your mind should be free from the learning of the past to learn something new.
Life Lesson
This week, I learned a profound lesson that people are not inherently bad. Many people in the world that exist today are good, it’s just that media, be it of any kind- print, social, visual- thrives on spreading negativity. Their business model is based on spreading lies, negativity, and hatred.
Because maybe the human brain is hardwired to liking sensationalism and melodrama.
Last Thursday, when I was drinking Coconut Water from my favorite street vendor. I would cringe all the time drinking from a plastic straw although I have bought a pack of paper straws at home, so whenever I take away half split coconut to be had at home, we drink with paper straw only.
But on the spot, I had no other choice. But then something flicked in me. Nearby was a shop that sells disposable, bio-degradable daily-use items. So, I bought 10 packs of 50 paper straws each and handed them over to the coconut seller and told him to use them from now on and let me know when the stock expires, I will refill them.
I shared this incident on a local group on Facebook asking the members how can we encourage the seller to switch to paper straws by himself as they cost twice as much as plastic straws. Not only the group members appreciated the initiative, but they also sent in suggestions on what should be done to encourage him.
One guy shared a video showing how a plastic straw gets stuck in the nose of a turtle and giving the data that over 100 million marine animals lose their lives to plastic debris each year. That’s 10,,00,00,000 marine animals!
One kind soul from Brazil went as far as to ask me my bank details where he could donate so that I could keep up the good work. He lived in Dharamshala 6 years ago and was so deeply touched during his sojourn in Dharamshala that he wanted to give something back to this place and its people.
I also shared this incident on Instagram tagging Dharamshala Local, a page run by founders of Dhauladhar Cleaners, a local volunteering group, which I am a part of. They shared my post on their Instagram page with a huge following. There also many people came forward with suggestions and advice. One person updated us that the coconut seller was indeed using paper straws now.
Even during my college days, when I was not earning anything, I used to go to the nearest temple of my residence and donate packets of biscuits or bananas to the poor lined up outside the temple for ‘prasad’ or ‘sacred food’ or sometimes help a needy with clothes.
I’ve always felt good in giving and donating but I preferred not to share it with people. I guess my mind back then was ‘filthy’. My thinking was that sharing my ‘small acts of kindness’ on social media will appear like bragging to the world - ‘Look how great and benevolent a person I am! Learn something from me’.
And now after 10 years, I have finally gotten comfortable with the fact that sharing a good deed done isn’t necessarily bragging. I know in my heart that the reason or purpose of sharing on social media is to inspire people, spread positivity just like I was inspired to do something for the environment after watching the posts of Dhauladhar Cleaners on Facebook.
Maybe a couple of people will still feel that in sharing we have an ulterior motive, so be it! Everyone is entitled to feel whatever they like. That shouldn’t deter us from spreading our message.
Hopefully, with this post, people will get inspired and encouraged to do small acts of kindness to people and the environment alike in their own sphere of influence in their own capacity in their everyday life.
Quote/Poem
To be free of all authority, of your own and that of another, is to die to everything of yesterday, so that your mind is always fresh, always young, innocent, full of vigour and passion. It is only in that state that one learns and observes. And for this, a great deal of awareness is required, actual awareness of what is going on inside yourself, without correcting it or telling it what it should or should not be, because the moment you correct it you have established another authority, a censor.
-J Krishnamurti
Amazing work Aman bhai. You are an inspiration for the whole world. ✌️
Great gesture Aman! This has opened my eyes!