Under no circumstances, when we look back to what we had, compared to those who do not have what we have, we will feel more luckily and more happily than many people. Although we own no house, at least we do not live on the streets. Our children do not have everything like the children of the rich, but at least they have food and warm clothes. We always feel happier when we focus on what we have instead of what we do not have. When we focus on what we have, compared to those humbler and less fortunate than us, we will find our life as a privilege, how blessed we are.
Having that awareness, we can consider paying back this life a little bit as a gratitude for what we had and practicing our compassion. Being grateful for life and what we have, we will feel that this life is more meaningful than we thought.
In scientific research, genuine happiness and lasting happiness come from giving, making sacrifices, and helping others. Giving and being grateful for life help people’s lives profoundly satisfying in mind, more peaceful, easily overcome adversities, and help build meaningful relationships in society. Giving, and helping is also to set an example for those around us, for our children and grandchildren to follow, to learn how to have a humane, loving way of life.
Giving to help others is the noblest act of all religions. According to Buddha’s and Jesus’s teachings, giving and reaching out to help others are one of the noblest acts of a human being, the closest way back to God, the closest way back to one’s true self.
When to give
It is never the right time because life is impermanent, and nothing lasts forever. Everything depends on uncountable conditions. It is never the right time to give. When we have a few hundred thousand dollars more or a few million dollars more, we will donate, and then we will say that when we have a little more, we will help, again and again. There is no right time to give, only this moment, today when we can still do something meaningful.
How much is enough
It does not matter how much you give. It is essential to share with a good heart. It could be 50 USD or 100 USD or only 1% of your monthly income. Giving is like pooling into a long-term savings account with a little bit every month, but in the long run, its results are outstanding. In this case, your 50-100 USD per month can change the fate of a poor student.
The charity projects we carry out have one-time grants such as a shoe donation project, awarding incentive scholarships, and periodic long-term sponsorship. With long-term cases in the form of monthly financial support for children with particular circumstances, we would take care of them as the role of their fathers, mothers, brothers, and god-sisters.
Currently, we are implementing more programs to provide food such as rice, dried fish, and vegetables every month to schools in remote areas. Without meal support, children cannot go to school because their parents do not have enough money to pay for school meals.
The future long-term plan of the Be Better Foundation is to accumulate enough money to rent the premises as a free vocational school for people in difficult circumstances because “it is better to give a fishing rod”. Stable careers will help them earn better incomes, achieve better lives, and ensure their children can attend school.
We believe that adding a few hundred thousand VND does not make us more prosperous, and losing a few hundred thousand VND will not make us poorer, but giving even a little bit will make us feel happier and create more positive life changes. Giving to help life is never lost!
Tony Tỉnh – The Founder of Be Better Foundation
