Are You Giving Away Your Wealth?

Stop being so generous…

An old man, standing at a street corner, was pleading before everyone who passed by. A few stopped to toss some coins at him. However, instead of picking up the coins, he opened his bag and, to their utter surprise, revealed gems and jewels of all sorts, begging them to take a handful. Soon, a crowd gathered around him.

When asked about what compelled him to squander his wealth so recklessly, he said — “Wherever I go, I see the generosity of humanity. Everyone is eager to give away their incredible wealth without a second thought! I am merely trying to do the same.”

The crowd burst into laughter. “Are you crazy? That sounds like foolishness, not generosity. Besides, who are these people with such wealth?”

The old man responded with a solemn smile — “Each one of you has unimaginable wealth — your time, energy, virtues, skills. Don’t you all waste these invaluable assets obsessing over your appearance, hoarding possessions to impress others, and chasing fleeting recognition and praise from those around you?”

A hush fell over the crowd as they reflected on this harsh truth. The jewels in their hands now seemed worthless.

Have you caught yourself wasting your treasure lately?

SRM’s Soul Spark is a blog for those seeking deeper meanings in life. Every week you will find 2 pieces of unconventional spiritual wisdom posted here.

These learnings are derived from the Sri Guru’s talks, and creatively written by SRM’s Editorial team.