This son didn’t even need to be told that he needed to do good, he just, did it, all on his own, translated…
After my son graduated from college, because of the downturn in economy, he couldn’t find the job he’d wanted for a very long time, I’d encouraged him to go for the examinations for public offices, because the examinations are testing the skills of the individual, plus, working in a government position, other than it being a stable job, there’s amazing benefits as well. Although my son did well in his academic career, but, he’d taken the public positions examinations, two years in a row, and still not managed to pass, he’d become depressed over it.
My son’s mother-in-law said, “Why don’t you send him to the temple, ask the deity responsible for test taking, to help him get good score, but, you must make your wishes wholehearted and truthfully, and, he must do what he could later on in life, to help those less fortunate than he.”
After my son went to the temples to offer incense, he’d told me, that he seemed to be less agitated and anxious anymore, perhaps, it was because he’d found a place of comfort spiritually, he could focus even more on his studies. And, his hard work had paid off that year, he’d passed the level three public positions examinations, and since, he’d no longer needed to get stressed out over test prep anymore.
Recently, we started receiving the receipts for Taiwan Fund for Children & Families, for the yearly donations, I’d examined it, turns out, that my son would make a $1,000N.T. donation each and every single month, to sponsor a child from the less fortunate backgrounds. Not only that, every month, my son also made an another donation of $700 N.T.s to help the children from poverty-stricken areas in Africa, and every year on the New Year’s, and on their separate birthdays, he’d given them $500N.T.s each. These two children who were sponsored by him long-term also wrote thank-you cards addressed to him.
I’d taken the receipts and commended my son on how much compassion he has, and asked him how he’d thought of donating to charity? He’d smiled a shy smile, said, “I never forgot what grandma told me, I’m using a heart of gratitude, to give back, for what I’d been given is all!”
And so, this shows, how important the heart of giving MUST be from within, because if you’re donating to a cause, with the WRONG kind of mindset, then, it probably wouldn’t yield as rewarding a result.
Life, the Obstacle Course 