To Be, or Not to Be...of Contribution, That Is

Just as we all have different experiences in life, we also have different definitions of various concepts. What does it mean to you to be of service? Of contribution? For some, this is something they only think of in regard to their family or inner circle. For others, they will ponder upon this in relation to the world at large. As part of trying to maintain balance in my life, I feel that we must be of service to others in order to evolve. Being of contribution to others fosters our mental, emotional and spiritual growth. It is also a great reminder to stay humble, be grateful, and remain faithful. “And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe’.” (14:7) This verse from the Holy Quran is the cornerstone of my perspective on service and charity. In being grateful for what we have, we must also want the same for others. This is an integral part of every faith and belief system. There is nothing wrong with enjoying nice things, especially when you have worked for them. However, there are also many blessings in sacrifice. Many of the small things we take for granted are the things that dreams are made of for others. How many bottles of unopened perfume do you have, clothes in the closet with tags on them, food that you have to throw out because it expired before you got to use it? If we took these small things, and used them for something outside of ourselves, the blessings would surely come. I have made being of contribution to others an integral part of my life. I will be sharing some of my experiences in the hope that others will see that helping others is not as difficult as you may think. I also hope to encourage others to reflect on the notion of "To be, or not to be...."