Sometimes I get texts in my inbox where the sender isn’t the least bit bothered whether I reply or not. They’ve already accepted their message as a selfless act. What is selfless action? Work done without the slightest expectation of material gain. Like a mother’s love, for instance. But does this mean there’s no gain at all? Not even a little? There is, there is! Say you help someone without any expectation of return or self-interest. What do you get from it? Nothing. But is it really nothing? Think about it—when you can help someone, doesn’t a certain peace settle in your heart? This feeling of joy is worth millions. It multiplies your confidence manifold. You feel less tired in your daily life and work. You can work with a smile, faster and with fewer mistakes. This is surely worth far more than any money you might have earned doing the same work for payment. The happiness that money can’t buy—that happiness is the most precious of all.
Now, why do people give money to beggars? To help them? Most of the time, the answer is no. Then why? To receive blessings. Do all beggars pray from the heart? Not at all! Many even curse you if you give too little. Then? When you help someone, this feeling arises within you: I’ve had the ability and good fortune to help someone. Gratitude for this good fortune! The more gratitude you practice, the better you’ll feel. Pride will work less in your mind. You’ll want to go even further. Try giving the waiter 15 taka instead of 10 as a tip one day and see how it feels. Give the rickshaw-puller an extra 5 taka with a happy heart! What will you lose? Nothing! Giving is an art. Then go home and see what a wonderful feeling of joy works within you! Whatever task you do, you’ll be able to do it wholeheartedly. Six hours of study will be completed in 2.5 hours. Calculate and see—the benefit is mostly yours. The peace in your heart is worth several times more than the money you spent! People become wealthy through giving.
Those who tell me I’m wasting my own resources on others’ affairs—they can’t grasp life’s real magic. If you only look at financial gain, you’ll spend your whole life in poverty. I personally have gained a lot in many ways. For instance, wherever I travel in Bangladesh, I always find someone to accompany me. Isn’t this a blessing? People’s love helps me live better. It doesn’t end there. I believe people’s prayers work. And if that person is someone’s father, mother, or elder sibling, then those prayers are surely very powerful prayers. Those who find meaning in living beautifully and healthily by forgetting their pain or suffering through my words or writings—their loved ones, especially their parents, pray for me. Many call to invite me home, praying wholeheartedly. Our parents are generally religious and good people. Such people’s prayers are certainly answered; perhaps we never even know it. I’ve been saved from many great dangers in my life simply through people’s prayers. If you harm someone, if you hurt someone’s heart, you’ll receive harsh punishment while still alive. All the good deeds, all the sins of life—they return multiplied—they surely do! My coming first in the BCS exam is the fruit of my parents’ good deeds. Let me share an amusing fact. My mother had no idea what BCS was. She only knew I was taking a job exam. She didn’t know at all how difficult and competitive this exam was. Without understanding, my mother prayed to God, “Lord, make my son come first in the BCS exam.” If she’d had even the slightest idea about the BCS exam, she might not have dared to make this prayer. How amazing! That very prayer was answered. Let me share a life secret. Whenever you ask God for something, don’t ask for small things. Ten percent of our daily prayers or wishes come true. Say you want to eat ice cream. You’ll get ice cream through some pretext. The buffet meal that might have been in your destiny—you won’t get that anymore. Don’t even think subconsciously that you can’t achieve anything. Your thoughts might come true! You might never even know what you lost in life through a moment’s mistake!
So, back to what I was saying! The beautifully crafted texts I receive daily—I could easily arrange them into several “humble submissions” or pieces “for a little warmth.” The interesting thing is, these wonderful messages contain anger, resentment, affection, love, fear, respect. Each message might be a continuation of many previous unanswered messages. I used to wonder why people keep sending messages even without getting replies. Now I understand. Actually, people sometimes enjoy talking to themselves. You need another person for the convenience of conversation, don’t you? Have you seen Tom Hanks’ “Cast Away”? In the movie, alone on the island, the protagonist cheerfully carries on conversations by bringing various entities in front of him or in his imagination. That interaction contains anger, resentment, love, affection, irritation, joy and sorrow—everything. People don’t always need companions. Rather, sometimes companionlessness is more joyful. Reading Purnendru Patri’s “Conversations” or watching love stories, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, I would often mentally talk to some Mujtaba’s Shabnam or Shankha-Sunil’s Margarita. I still do. This gives me a kind of happiness. If no one had spoken the way I think when I hear myself speak, would it feel as good as it does when I talk alone, thinking up replies as I go? The thoughts of the heart are so precious! If someone had listened to those words and given heart-breaking replies or shown neglect, how sad the heart would become—can you imagine? Isn’t not getting a reply better than that? Continuing conversations in this “I’m speaking and I’m listening” manner saves you from some unnecessary heartbreak. If this keeps you happy, what’s the harm?