Once, when I was a teenager, my father and I stood in line to buy tickets for the circus. There was only one family between us and the ticket box. This family made a great impression on me.
There were eight children, all probably under 12 years old. By the way they were dressed, it could be said that they did not have much money, but their clothes were clean and clean.
The children behaved well, all stood in a row two by two behind their parents, holding their hands. They talked enthusiastically about clowns, animals and everything they had to see that night. From their excitement it was possible to see that they had never been to a circus before. It would be the highlight of their lives.
Father and mother were proudly at the head of the room. Her mother held her husband’s hand, looking at him, as if saying, “You are my knight in shining armor.” He smiled and the happiness of his family. The ticket seller asked the man how many tickets he wanted. He proudly replied, “I would like to buy eight tickets for children and two tickets for adults.” The ticket dealer announced the price.
The man’s wife released his hand, her head dropped, the man’s lips trembled. Then he leaned a little closer and asked, “How much did you say?” the ticket seller again named the price. Man did not have enough money. How did he turn around and tell his eight children that he didn’t have enough money to drive them to the circus?
When he saw what was happening, my father dropped into his pocket, pulled out a $20 note and threw it on the ground. (We were not rich in any sense of the word!) My father leaned, took a $20 bill, kicked a man on his shoulder and said, “Sorry sir, it fell out of your pocket.”
The man understood what was happening. He did not ask for help, but appreciated help in a desperate, heartbreaking and uncomfortable situation.
He looked straight into my father’s eyes, took him by both hands, tightly pressed the $20 bill, and with his lips trembling and tears flowing on his cheek, replied, “Thank you, thank you, sir. It really means a lot for me and my family.”
My father and I went back to the car and went home. For $20 my father gave us, we were going to buy our tickets. Although we were unable to see the circus that night, we both felt within us a joy that was much greater than the circus could ever give.
That day I learned the value of “Giving.” Giving more receivers. If you want to be bigger than life, learn to give. Love has nothing to do with what you expect to get, only with what you expect to give, and that’s all.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of giving and blessing others, because there is always joy in giving. Learn to make someone happy by giving.
Audrey Hepburn