Joy Of Giving

My Good School Retreat 2024, from 13th to 16th November 2024. 

Don't miss out—scroll down to discover how you can be a part of something amazing! 

 

 JOY OF GIVING by Learning Forward India Foundation

**JOY OF GIVING with Learning Forward India Foundation**

Kunal Rajpurohit has crafted an incredible roadmap for the Joy Of Giving initiative under the Good Schools Alliance. Join us in making a difference and lend a helping hand to the students and community at the Arthur Foot Academy. Together, we can spark joy and create brighter futures! Let's do this!

Giving- Pasang Sherpa

Giving is not only an act, it's compassion for the one who is receiving it. When we give someone something, it's not a thing we give but love, care, joy, and affection to that person. 

There is joy not only in receiving but also in giving. But these days people hesitate to give because they have that mindset that if the things they are giving are not expensive or valuable it is not considered as giving but a shame to him or her. For these overthinkers, Mother Teresa had once well said "I cannot give great things but sm
all things with great heart". 

Expensive things are not what matters to the people you love but love and care. As an example, see your mother, she does not want anything valuable for what she did all these years but the same love to her which she gave you when you were young.

Pasang Sherpa
Pestalozzi Children's  Village Society

Love To Serve - Rishona Chopra

It is said that what we do comes back to us. Karma, as some of us would call it. A good act of kindness comes back to us. It may be true and correct, but it should not be our cause to do something good. We shouldn't give, help, care or be kind, just believing that we will do good so good will come to us.

The law of karma isn't something that can be fooled. It is just a power of the universe. It looks at the thought behind it and not just the action. 

When we give something, do we expect something in return? Well, I did, and I realised that when you give someone something - not an item but even an act of kindness and care, not many return the same to you, and we have to live with it. The only way to yet be happy is to first accept it and then know that your deed of kindness has helped somebody. 

When God blesses you financially, don't raise your standard of living. Raise your standard of giving. - Mark Batterson

It is true what Mark Batterson has said, we should give not only when we are rich in our everyday lives, we should raise our standard of giving, it may not be just giving money, even giving a toy to a person who needs it or a book is an act of giving too! 

A small act of giving could mean everything to a person. Giving not only makes the other person happy but also makes us happy. As said,' make others happy, and you will be satisfied the same way give and give, and you will feel better.

                                                                       ***
Do we have this life entirely for ourselves? Are we given this life just so we can enjoy and live happily? Well, we are absolutely nothing alone. One cannot be anything alone at all. Mahatma Gandhi alone did not defeat the British. Mother Teresa alone did not help the people. No one has ever accomplished anything alone because it is simply not possible. As brave and fascinating as doing something alone sounds, it isn't. We are all connected; we are all one. We say Unity in Diversity, but do we mean it from our hearts?

We may differ in colour, race, background, education, age, and height, but we are still the same. We are just one soul. 

So why do we believe that all our actions must be for ourselves? Can't it be for others? Will that do us any harm? 
To check, let us just list out what could happen. 

DEED: LOSS
I gave a child my pencil: I had another one
I helped someone tie their laces: No loss
I donated money to charity: I earned some more
Meeting my sick friend: No loss
Gave food to a homeless: Spent little money
Helped someone study: No loss
Complimenting someone and appreciating them: No loss
Sat with someone and listened to them: No loss

These are a few examples of deeds of giving. I may have lost money, pencils and a few more little things, but all these deeds made me happier and were defiantly worth it. These deeds may have taken out some of my time, but they all make me happier. 

What we do for ourselves dies with us, but what we do for others lives on forever. 

Rishona Chopra

Grade VII

Gyanshree School

Merry Christmas! - Rishona Chopra

Merry Christmas !! I know most of us don't believe in the stories of Santa Claus, but sometimes it's good to play along with it and enjoy the festival!    

A small act of giving could mean everything to a person. Giving not only makes the other person happy but also makes us happy. As said,' make others happy, and you will be satisfied in the same way give and give, and you will feel better. When we give, we shouldn't expect the same from a person. We should give from our hearts.

At Christmas, we receive gifts but have we ever thought that instead of receiving, we should give more and buy things, not for us but others in need. If we can afford it, buying stuff for us when we need them makes sense. There is a tremendous difference between want and need. When we want something, we don't really need them; when we need them, we want to use them properly. So on Christmas, we should give and not take, and we should give it in such a way that we do not mind if the other offers a return gift. So today, On Christmas, let us pass, share and give selflessly!!

Christmas reminds us of beautiful angels with wings and a divine wand in their hands. Wings symbolize the angelic and light stage of the mind, which is experienced through purity and soul-consciousness, and the sacred rod is a symbol of positive blessings we receive from God and then share with each soul in the world!

Christmas is not only about giving but also about love and care. Time and commitment. Let's spend some time with our loved ones on this beautiful festival of joy. If you can see the love between plants and animals, then why do only we humans fall into the trap and ego and anger?

Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. -The Bible

Rishona Chopra 
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Living for Giving - Reveda Bhatt

 In the words of Pablo Picasso quote, "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."

Life is for giving; maybe you'll agree or won't, but you'll have to sooner or later when the reality hits you.

First, let's consider that nothing in this world is really ours and that living is giving.

We are born here on this planet to serve a purpose, a purpose for the betterment of humanity. During the process of living, we obtain many things that we just don't wish to give away, don't want to give away maybe because they are really near and dear to us. What we give, ultimately, comes back to us in the form of blessings. Listen up, my friend, in this world, nothing is permanent, nothing is ours, then why does human greed still pertain? But, here's what, the cycle of life picks and drops many things till it reaches its destination, with you pedalling on it. In life, we are in a give-and-take relationship, but in life, we are here to take and give.

So, if you have a ruby, pass it on to others so that even they can see its shine!

Reveda Bhatt
Grade 9
The Aryan School

Giving - Avni Kochhar

Hi, My name is Avni Kochhar, and today I will be sharing my experience of giving.

My best friend, Myra, was sick. Her doctor said that she would be fine after 4-5 days. I called her up and talked to her for 15 minutes; 2 days later, she had recovered. I gave her 15 minutes a day of my time, and she recovered fully. I read the lines where Dr Anupam Sibal had given a few inspiring stories in the chapter on Giving. After reading them, I would like to change too.

Avni Kochhar
Gyanshree School
IV-E

Giving - Aanya Kumar

‘Giving’ truly is a sense of gratitude and generosity. It is a life-changing act that can be experienced by everyone. Let us take the example of Doctor Sibal’s son, Devang’s maternal cousin.

Devaang’s cousin thought to do something bigger and better around Christmas. He saw two hungry children on the roadside and decided to feed them. Two children became four, four became eight, and soon eight became SIXTY- FOUR children. The original plan was to provide 200 children, and they ended up being more than 300 children. Watching a fourteen-year child doing something so generous is genuinely mesmerizing.

Being generous is not an arduous task to do. Our small contribution could make a big difference. We could give away our belongings that we are no longer using, but they are in good condition, such as toys, blankets, etc., to underprivileged people. This is the virtue to be learnt and practised by all.

Aanya Kumar

Gyanshree School

Grade 5

Giving - Ananya Bhatia

 Giving

In my opinion, Giving is one thing that almost everyone performs every day. Giving can be in many forms.

Giving can be done by giving someone time, hope, food, clothes, work and even respect. Can everyone give every day? Yes, it is possible. For, e.g. A teacher gives their time to students every day; even our parents give us a new value every day from being a child to an adult by teaching us how to talk, walk, eat, study, behave with others other small habits.

We, as children, go to school and share our Lunch boxes with friends that are also giving. I have read a beautiful quote about giving in Bhagwad Gita, which says A gift is pure when given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return. In simple words, if you are giving anything to anyone, give it by heart and do not expect anything in return. Giving is also beneficial for the person who is giving. This is a fact about which it is mentioned in Sam Veda that One who gives in charity always gets happiness and a sense of self-satisfaction.

Ananya Bhatia, IX, Ahlcon Public School

I like reading books.

Giving - Anvesha Rana

                   "Give without expectations, Give without recognition and Give for the Joy of Giving." 

Equality is essential, but it does not last long, for financial differences always produce a barrier. Consequently, those who have enough must give to those who have nothing. When God blesses us financially, we should not raise our standard of living. Instead, we should raise our standard of giving because much is expected from those to whom much is given. Every day we witness acts of generosity, compassion and selflessness by ordinary people. They do not give a second thought to spending money on someone else when they can spend it on themselves. Life's persistent and most urgent question must be, what are you doing for others. 

Some of the people who have demonstrated extraordinary generosity include Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Jorge Munoz, P. Kalyansundaram, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Divij. At the age of thirty-one, Bill Gates was the youngest self-made billionaire, and at the age of sixty-four, he found organizations to address causes that were close to his mother. He helped eradicate Polio and supported many people across the globe financially. Bill Gates may be the richest man, but he is also the man who has contributed to charity more than anyone else. Another person who made the world realize the joy of giving was Warren Buffet; he gave away 85 per cent of his wealth to charity, with a colossal amount pledged to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. We need not be rich to be generous, exemplified by Jorge Munoz, an immigrant from Columbia who lives in New York. He is a bus driver by profession but feeds hungry construction workers in the evening. His mission to serve the construction workers each day leaves him no time for friends, hobbies or leisure, yet each day he comes and becomes the reason for the smile on the faces of so many. We all can take inspiration from these people who have taught the world that giving has no barriers. 

Once we realize the joy of giving, it will become our true nature to give. Giving is not something that occurs occasionally; it should be habitual and permanent. The fragrance always remains on the hand that gives the rose. Giving is beneficial for the one who receives and is even more advantageous for the giver, for it is in giving that we receive. 

Anvesha Rana, 

9-B, 

Gyanshree School. 

Giving - Rishona Chopra

 

Based on the chapter 'giving' from the book Is Your Child Ready To Face The World by Dr Anupam Sibal.

When God blesses you financially, don't raise your standard of living. Raise your standard of giving.

                                                                                                                   - Mark Batterson

It is true what Mark Batterson has said, we should give not only when we are rich in our everyday lives, we should raise our standard of giving, it may not be just giving money, even giving a toy to a person who needs it or a book is an act of giving too! 

A small act of giving could mean everything for a person. Giving not only makes the other person happy, but it makes us happy too. As said, ' make others happy, and you will be happy in the same way ' give and give, and you will feel better.

Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest people in the world, still has a kind, generous heart. When we are super rich or famous, we tend to become more competitive, and while doing that, we sometimes forget about the value of giving. Giving did no harm to Bill Gates; in fact, he has succeeded as a better human being. This isn't supposed to mean that we only give when we are super-rich; we can give as we wish.

We can give hope, love and happiness, and that is, in fact, faithful giving. When we give, we shouldn't expect the same from a person. We should give from our hearts.

I donate the things I don't need anymore to a suitable NGO. That, too, is giving. It doesn't mean that those things I am giving are dirty or nasty; they are as good as new. This brings a smile to the poor and my face too. Looking at one more advantage is that my room is better organized!!

Rishona Chopra
Grade V
Gyanshree School