GENEROSITY
Psychologists
especially behaviorists tries to explain behavior of individuals in terms of
motivation behind it. By knowing motivation behind a particular behavior you
can promote or demote it using appropriate reinforcements. This prompts me to
think about the most sublime of all humane qualities Generosity and motivation
behind it.
Generosity is a good
quality that is learned through life experiences. It is a manifestation of
individual’s broad mindedness. It vouches for his ability to jump out his limited
ego and expand himself beyond its walls. It is indispensable for the harmony of
a society that aims at the equality of its heterogeneously dispersed groups it
constitutes especially in the materialistic level.
Home is the first place
where tit bits of generosity are picked up in the early child hood. To
complement this, comes the actual instructor of this quality- Religion. Almost
all religions herald generosity a must observed quality for one’s spiritual
growth. Some religions even threaten with possible punishment from the God
almighty if Generosity is not observed.
The fact is, generosity
is often not purely generous. Those who are generous and donate to a cause,
individual or collective, expect something in return. It may be blessing from
God, or a promising heavenly life after death, or as a penance for misdeeds
committed in the past. In these cases it is the fear or anxiety over future
life that prompts the individual to be generous.
Yet, there are many who
expect an enhancement for their social image by their generosity. Yet there are
many who use generosity to have a control over others exploiting their
helplessness. Here the power motive of the person fuels his generosity.
Motivated generosity is
not a generosity in its pure form. The real generous person will never have
experienced a feeling of giving. The real generosity is that generosity which
arises from the awareness of One-ness of all living organisms under the sky.
Generosity springs from that awareness has a special beauty. Generosity is only
an outward expression to that awareness by which he has transcended his
existence as a separated entity from the universe around him.
When I look back, I can say
that there is only one person, in my life who was purely generous. It is my
grandmother. She never knew what she gave me. She kept on giving her health
wealth, love…all to everybody else in my family till end. She was not aware of
her act of giving. Giving was her way of living. I dedicate this article to
her.