Ten years ago when I’d graduated and living on my own, I had this sense of powerlessness to do anything about my own financial status. I was poor. Not by standards of developing countries, of course. Nonetheless I was in debt. School loans and the costs of living weighed heavily on me. It was a stressful time and I did not sleep well. I recall one particular day many years later when I realized something profound (to me at least). I realized that the fact that I had an education was a result of the opportunities my parents have provided for me. Neither of them were educated. Simply being able to worry about my financial situation due to schooling meant that I had accomplished a goal that my parents had only dreamed of. They sacrificed so that I could worry about something they would never be able to worry about. Seeing my situation from that perspective, I wanted to do for others what my parents did for me. But how do I go about doing this?
I’m going to expose myself to criticism for even mentioning that I watched a Tom Cruise movie, but here goes. Remember the scene in Jerry Maguire in the locker room where Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s character brings up the term “kwan”? He referred to it as “Love. Respect. Community. And the dollars, too.” There was that twinge in the back of my mind the first time I heard a concept stated in that manner. The character may not have had the same idea as I did, but I think it’s a wonderful concept. To me it’s about connections beyond myself and my immediate surroundings. I’m no fool. I understand the frailties of human nature, but even realizing a fraction of these ideals I just mentioned is worth pursuing.
So with kwan came the idea of providing opportunities. Most people think “charity”, but I’m not one to care for giving merely to soothe my guilt over having more than others or to claim moral superiority by claiming selflessness. I have no guilt about having more than others, and I am the last person, who can with a straight face, claim superiority of any kind. I also believe in that old Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish . . .” You know it already, so I’m not going end it. [Why is it Eastern truisms are proverbs, but Western truisms are cliches?] I mention this, because I want to provide opportunities. Opportunities are left at the discretion of the person to whom it is provided. He/she can decide to take it upon themselves to do or not do. Charity on the other hand is something forced upon the recipient because he/she is in dire need. Charity only serves the immediate needs. Above all I believe charity demeans when given without long term expectations from the recipient. It assumes the person to whom it’s given lacks any skills or value to which he/she can contribute back to the whole of society. In essence, charity cases would be the equivalent to a class/caste of untouchables. I do not believe in the idea of such a class/caste.
So with these things in mind I decided I was going to provide opportunities through the charitable organizations that conformed to my qualifications. The qualifications for these charities are simple.
- A charity must allow for for self-actualization. It must not merely give money. It must allow the recipients the opportunity to do for themselves. The money is there as a planted seed and maybe the tools. The process of growing that seed is left to the recipients.
- The recipients should in turn be allowed to give back when they have boot-strapped themselves out of their situation.
So with this new year I plan to provide for the following organizations. Give them a look and see if they interest you. If you have any suggestions, I’m always open to new ones. [Note: I am in no way endorsing these organizations. It is in your best interest to find out for yourself if these are legitimate organizations. I am not your baby-sitter. All I say is that I already give to the two out of the three listed.]