Hello mi neighbour | Let’s give without ulterior motives

Hello mi neighbour! Can you put a price to any one thing which brings you deepest pleasure? Maybe, maybe not? Guess you’ve never thought about it, but for some, that question has been settled aeons ago and they are now enjoying daily pleasures from their coveted pleasure sources!

Popular pleasure sources include smoking, drinking, gambling, swimming, eating, sex, music, backbiting and the likes. These pleasures are usually short-lived and require repeat performances for sustainability. Even though the cost to maintain these pleasures may be extortionate and even deadly at times, yet, victims will allow the desire for these pleasures to drive them to a point of no return: paying the ultimate price for a fleeting fix! Madness!

Okay, let’s have a sober discourse. For millions, their deepest pleasure is derived from performing acts of kindness, even at great expense, for their fellow men. Further, Booker T. Washington said, “The best way to pick yourself up is helping someone else.” That reminds me, I need to suggest to my grieving cousin that he could do himself a lot of good, at this time, by comforting others, like himself, who are grieving the loss of loved ones. What yuh tink?

I think we should start practising and promoting selfless sharing and giving! Yes, it will make us happier and more joyful! Starting today, we can discover one of life’s greatest sources of pleasures: the pleasure of giving and helping. This action gives us a feeling of satisfaction comparable to no other on earth! And here’s a caveat: to experience this satisfaction, we must give, truly expecting nothing in return. I believe that this explains the unexplainable sensation of well-being which wells up in selfless givers, often ‘out of the blue’! Yes, sir!

My friend Juliet (I call her ‘Joyful Jules’ of late) tells me that an aspect of her daily joy stems from the expressions of joy from visually impaired children whom she has been helping with their education. If the sighted are having such a difficult time coping in this climate, what say those who are challenged sight-wise? Eeenh? Joyful Jules is “joyful whenever a student recognises my voice and declares happiness because he/she did well in an exam”. Truth be told, sometimes she doesn’t even remember helping a particular child until he/she calls to report success.

Joy ‘bubbled up’ in my heart when another student sent me a picture of the laptop he received from a teacher. My role was simply to ask for help on his behalf, after his father’s cry for help fell on deaf ears. Wow!

A smile at someone at the market, helping a lady who is struggling with her bags, picking up a fallen item for a neighbour, and little actions like these can open up gold mines of pleasures for those preoccupied with practising unsolicited kindness for kindness’ sake.

A common social cruelty is to show kindness with an ulterior motive: to give to the needy with the expectation for something in return. How do you plead? Guilty? Fix it!

And one of the greatest rewards often comes from giving without expecting a reward in return. Try it. Surprise!

THANKS TO NEIGHBOUR

1. Jamaica National Foundation & SAMPARS for contributing to neighbours’ welfare.

2. Everybody’s Pharmacy for acts of neighbourliness.

3. Robert, USA, for donation.

4. Ginnel, St Catherine, for household items.

5. Latoyer, for donation.

KINDLY HELP SOMEONE FROM the LIST BELOW

1. Annmarie, St Mary, unemployed, fell on the job – getting no help from workplace. Needs help from neighbours for hip replacement.

2. Bev, used all her savings for an eye surgery. Needs help with food.

3. Sister Jones, Clarendon, needs a sewing machine.

4. Natalie asking for help for a four-month-old child. Lost everything in a fire.

To help, please call Silton Townsend at (876) 334-8165 or (876) 884-3866. You may also make a deposit to A/C#351 044 276 at NCB. Alternatively, send donations to HELLO NEIGHBOUR c/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; PayPal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. contact email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Visit hellomineighbourja.blogspot.com. Mr Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor agent of The Gleaner.