Give

What is it to give?
In a society where people construct their actions based on rewards and recognition,
I wonder truly what defines giving.

My belief is that giving is irrational,

It is the generous manifestation of the heart,
Rather than the rationale of the mind.
It is the parable of the good Samaritan,
Lending your best efforts to someone,
With no expectation of reciprocation.
Francisco Erasmo Rodrigues de Lima was a 61 year old Brazilian man--

He understood the true meaning of giving. 

My knowledge of Francisco is limited to details available on the internet.

Francisco was neither wealthy or well known,

As a matter of fact he survived off the generosity of people.

Francisco was homeless.

In his final moments, Francisco gave the most generous gift of all--

He laid his life for a woman who seems to have no connection to him.

She was a stranger.    

But yet, in a time where action needed to be taken,

A time where rationalizing things through would have cost a life,

Francisco rose and acted upon the generous manifestation of his heart.

While the police and onlookers stood by, Francisco came to the rescue of this stranger.

Unaware of the rolling cameras, Francisco approached the gunman who had this lady pinned down, engaging him long enough to allow the ladies escape but unfortunately exposing himself to the bullets of the gunman.

Francisco continued engaging the gunman, albeit his wound, diverting possible harm to bystanders.

Once more the gunman shot Francisco before the police neutralized him.

Realizing the altercation was over, Francisco became aware of his wounds,

Stumbling towards a wall for support whilst examining his torso.

Failing to support himself, Francisco fell to the ground languidly.

Watching the footage made me question modern giving.
It is not unusual to see someone advertising their cause on a daily basis--
Donations with names attached to them for public admiration.
It is good that we donate and are involved, but sometimes I find it difficult to distinguish between sponsors and donors.
But I wonder if giving has simply become a public display of social activism,
A sticker to put next to your "go organic" or "recycle" bumper sticker.

I'm not suggesting we die to authenticate our giving,

Rather I'm simply questioning, what's the real reason we give these days?

R.I.P Francisco Erasmo Rodrigues,

You gave generously at the footstep of the Lord, I pray he overcomes you with His blessings. 

Change

You cry out for change
But aren't willing to sacrifice your comfort
You are like a man searching for gold
Cautious, in fear of staining his clothes
Are you so foolish to not realize the depth treasures are stored
Something worth having is something worth working for
Rambling injustice while smiling with your oppressor
You are merely a leach
Preying on the tenacity of the meek
Boisterous on the surface, but lacking sound foundation
Adversity will be the wind to sweep you away
Cast to irrelevance by your dubious ways
Triumphant shall be the few
Whom in the harshest of times, were not dismayed
To these brave souls, unwavering in their ways
Change will be due

Forgotten Joys of the World

Today, there was a rainstorm.
In typical monsoon fashion, it was swift and full of vigor.
The living room was filled with the clamorous sound of thunder,
All too familiar but charging me with its violent whisper.
Not knowing what to expect, I placed her on my shoulder and stepped outside;
My niece will be experiencing rainstorm for the first time.

Stepping onto the damp lawn,
We were welcomed by drizzles of warmth.
Bathing our skin, we savored every drop,
Staring admirably as the dampened sky lit up.
Resting on the safety of my shoulder,
She celebrated in an unbound manner only a child could display,
Her flailing arms matched by her uncontrolled laughter;
She was experiencing the world in a new way.
She stared at me, excitement beaming from her eyes,

Her face bunched up from her gaping smile.

Aside from its beauty, the rainstorm was neither magical or special to me,
It was just one of many.
But something in that moment brought about a rich sense of simplicity.
With each laughter numbing my thoughts,
Her voice shadowed all logic and noise.
Her laugh was a reflection of the forgotten joys of the world.