Balloons With Names

There was a seminar happening in which many people had come to attend. The speaker conducted a small exercise to engage everyone. He gave one balloon to each person and asked them to write their names on it. Then, all the balloons were collected and put in a room.

Everyone was then let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their names within 5 minutes. As we all can imagine, there was a chaos that ensued as everyone started searching their balloons in hurry. At the end, none of them were able to collect their own balloons.

Then the speaker asked everyone to randomly collect any balloon and simply give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within 5 minutes, everyone had their own balloons in their hands.

Balloons = All that we strive for in this life - happiness, contentment, satisfaction

Let's try to co-relate. When we help others around us in any small or big way possible, the experiential contentment and happiness we get, cannot be marked in words and can only only be felt inside. We all have experienced that moment in our lives when we have given to someone, without any expectation or intent or return.

It is said that a person is happy when he gives people a bit of his heart rather a piece of his mind. If we can give someone's contentment or happiness (balloon) back to the person, whom it belongs to - the Universe and Nature makes sure that someone hands over our contentment or happiness (balloon) back to us.

Rich in heart or kind

Someone asked Bill Gates, "Is there anyone richer than you in the world". He said, "Yes, there is a person richer than me."

He then narrated an incident when he was neither rich nor famous. I was in New York Airport where I saw a newspaper vendor. I wanted to buy one newspaper but found that there was not enough change with me. So I returned the paper back to the vendor.

The vendor said, "I am giving this to you for free." On his insistence, I took the paper. Coincidentally, after 2-3 months, I landed in the same airport and again I was short of change to buy the newspaper. However, the vendor again gave it to me saying, "You can take it, I am giving it to you from my profit, so I would not be at loss". I took the newspaper.

After 19 years, I became famous and known to people. Suddenly one day I remembered the vendor. I began searching for him and found him couple of months later.

I asked him, "Do you know me". He said, "Yes. You are Bill gates".

I asked him again, "Do you remember once you gave me newspaper for free". He said, "Yes, I remember. I gave you twice".

I said, "I want to repay the help you had offered me at that time. Whatever you want in your life, tell me - I shall fulfill it".

The vendor said, "Dont you think by doing so, you won't be able to match my help". I asked, "Why". He said, "I had helped you when I was a poor newspaper vendor and you are trying to help me now when you have become the richest man in the world. How can your help match mine".

Henry Ward Beecher, an Americal social reformer rightly said, "It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has"

One time or another, all of us must have felt atleast once, that we would do something for the people in need when we have ample bank balance or assets worth mentioning.

However, due to our own conditioned societal reasonings, we pan ourselves out later. The fact is, which we know deep down under, it would never be enough and hence the right time will never come.

Depending on our capacity and understanding, let us do something selfless periodically, with the notion of simply making lives better than before. If we think with the right nerves and intent, we will figure out our ability quotient and then act accordingly.