The Tiny Bag in the Corner of My Home…

( At the onset would like to admit this is a very reluctant post. As we have been told by our elders not to speak about what we have given or the good that we do, for it may bring about a sense of pride. But the smile on the face of the people who are mentioned here, prompted this write-up)

There is a little bag in the corner of my home, placed carefully with love and lots of gratefulness. It keeps changing places – sometimes it is in my drawing room or sometimes it is in one of our bedrooms. But this one bag is there for sure as a symbol of thankfulness and love.

My parents have always been selfless givers. The dhobi coming home cannot leave without a cup of tea, the person who comes to refill mineral water may be given a pack of biscuits, the maid will be given savouries or a small biscuit packet, the watchman coming over for a signature may be handed over a banana, and everyone who comes home, especially the helpers will hardly leave empty handed.

Here I am doing most of the work just to occupy myself and have very few helpers coming over. Yet, reflecting on the joy of giving, can there be anything more precious than this? 

Back to my home, my spouse has the habit of picking up several varieties of biscuit packets, and we would keep aside a few of them for the maid. Of late, as my maid has stopped coming over, I felt a vacuum when there was no one to give. So I picked up a nice-looking bag and placed a few biscuit packets in this, and put it in a corner. 

As I was moving around in my home that day, my mind was thinking about what more to add to that bag there. I added a few pens that were purchased in bulk, and we hardly need one or two. Next into the bag, went a half-used shampoo bottle as we had picked up a new one. Then one scrubber to clean vessels as it came in a pack of three. A while later, one of the track pants that were used for a while, and my son has outgrown them. So forth, the bag filled up, and my heart felt content that there was something to hand over when someone did come over.

In a day or two, more things got added to this. A new agarbatti packet, a half-used coconut oil, a new bottle of hing as we had picked up two instead of one, a tiny handkerchief and so on.

Here, I should add that, of late, there have been many articles on minimalism that have been coming up on my Facebook feed. As if the Universe is indicating to keep just what I need and share the rest. Truly, this concept has become so dear to me, it fills me with some unknown peace. 

In a week’s time when the bag was reasonably full, my neighbour’s maid passed by our home and I handed over the bag to her. She asked, “Didi, are you shifting your home?” I smiled and said, “No, maushi. It’s just a few things I have kept aside. The edible ones are all new, and a few used things too. Take it home and keep what you need.” She was so happy holding the little bag, it made my day.

Immediately I looked for another nice-looking cover and put it in the corner of my home and also added two steel glasses that had hardly been used. This time when it fills up, it will be by Divine Grace handed over to someone who would value it too and may this cycle continue.

Forever thankful to my parents for gifting me this precious outlook towards life, for we become a tiny instrument in His grand scheme of things to bring a smile and also feel the joy of gratefulness.

🙏❤️