FOR many years I opened the morning paper and stared fascinated at pictures of film stars spending time with cancer patients, destitute children and others less fortunate than themselves, giving gifts or handing out large cheques with figures written in giant letters. Something bothered me though, “How were photographers and reporters on the spot when these acts of charity happened?”
“You’re rather naïve aren’t you?” said an editor friend of mine as the phone rang on his table. “Call from Big Z’s PR agent! Says the Big Z will be at the cancer hospital at two o’clock and he wants a full page!” “But doesn’t he do it for the love of children?” I asked. “He does it for the love of himself!” grinned the editor.
Most of us don’t have PR agents, they don’t come cheap, but then most of us don’t need one; our own mouths do the work. “ Hi Bob where were you yesterday, I tried calling you, but your phone was switched off!” “Oh I switched off the phone, I was with the families of the HIV affected! I’m with them every Saturday afternoon! It’s the least I can do for those unfortunate people!” Ah how Bob loves the looks he gets. But let me tell you there’s a lot more fun doing things for others anonymously: I heard of one old gentleman who was considered by the townspeople to be both rich and thrifty. His austerity earned him the reputation of a miser. When he died, everyone expected the authorities to find money stashed everywhere in his home. All they found were a few gallon cans filled with coins. It came out that he had used most of his money to help put needy young students through college. And the coins filled his pockets as he walked down the streets of the business districts looking for cars whose parking meters had expired. When he found one, he would drop in a coin. One of his neighbours commented, “That explains why he looked so happy and contented!” That’s the nice part; being happy and content with the secret you share only with yourself.
“What are you grinning about?” “Nothing!” “Come on there’s something you’re hiding isn’t it?” “Yes!” “Tell me!” “No!” “Why not?” “Because this is something that gives me the greatest joy only if I know about it, once it’s shared there’s no joy left for me. You don’t believe me? Try it out; it could change your life! The trick is to remain anonymous, plan in secret, act in secret, and most of all, have fun helping others..!
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