The Cost of Giving
When I was growing up, I was taught that giving was one of life’s greatest virtues. You gave to those who had less than you, to the elderly, to causes that promised change, or simply to show that you cared. If you didn’t have money, you gave your time. If you couldn’t give your time, you offered a prayer. The expectation was simple: you gave.
The promise behind that lesson was equally simple. If you gave generously enough, you would earn your place in heaven—or, at the very least, you could trust that when your own life became difficult, the kindness you had shown would find its way back to you.
So when I found myself in need, I believed I could turn to the people and communities I had spent years supporting. I wasn’t looking for miracles—just compassion.
Instead, I found contempt.
I was told I was weak. I was reminded that my life was better than many others and that I should simply be grateful for what I had. I was told to endure, because someday things would get better.
I’m still waiting.
Eventually, I stopped asking for help. Not because I no longer needed it, but because I learned that needing help often made people uncomfortable. It’s easier for some to admire generosity than to extend it.
So I lowered my expectations.
Maybe this is as good as it gets.
Some policies sound great in a boardroom but fall apart in real life. In an emergency, clarity beats corporate jargon every single time. Sometimes the simplest approach is the smartest one.
True peace is bringing light into a dark environment. Doing your job without stint and being grateful. While grasping and fighting your way forward even in the darkest times.
There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
- Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
I will never lie to you, and I will never lie for you. Honesty isn’t just my policy, it’s my prime directive.