On Life 206 – Get the Happiness… – February 2, 2018

   In the previous article, we discussed the last words of “Holly Butcher”, which offer a recipe for happiness through giving, we stated that he who presents good for others, and seeks for making them happy, becomes happy himself! Here my mind recalls the occurrences of an incident broadcasted on a TV channel, it was about a man named Josh who met Thomas, a homeless begging in the street, the former asked the latter about his state, and was answered that he was trying to get some money in order to buy food. “Josh” told him that he had something he would offer to people, getting out 100 dollars from his wallet and saying: this is your money now, you can keep it. Thomas got totally astonished and asked him: “Are you sure of that?!” while Josh assured him the money belonged to him, the man’s eyes got filled with tears. Unbelieving what had happened, and deeply being touched, Thomas hugged the man saying: “this has never happened to me in my life!” The two men got separated, and after a little while, Thomas collected his belongings and left, while “Josh” kept following the man who entered a shop and got out carrying a full bag.

   Josh had wondered what may the man had bought, asking a companion of him to write down what that homeless man would do.

   Thomas then met others who seemed homeless as well, opened his bag and offered them food! Here, Josh came to Thomas asking to talk with him, then he told him that he kept observing him after offering him money, informing him that a camera was filming what he did. A conversation flowed between them to reveal a tender heart that feels the others’ needs, he doesn’t know those for whom he offered food, yet he feels copious happiness upon offering food for the needy, he said: “Some things can never be bought by money, I obtain happiness from what I do”.

   Josh told him that he owed him an apology; as he saw him going to an alcoholic drinks shop, and though he would spend the money he took. Josh then concluded his talk saying that he was deeply touched by what the man did, and so he gave him another 100 dollars, and asked him about the motive he kept in order to give the others?! The man answered that he had lived with his parents, then his stepfather was diagnosed with cancer, and his mother with renal failure, so he retired in order to take care of them, his stepfather died, and his mother followed two weeks later, his house then was sold. “Thomas” kept silent for a while before adding: “Suddenly, I became homeless for 4 months now!!”

   Absent- mindedly, he continued: “Many people are victims of their own conditions”

   What I see in this man’s story is that he gave to others what he himself was in need of it, he had a heart which feels others’ suffering and pain, so he tried to satisfy some of their imperative needs from what he owned, even if it is little!

   Yes, this is real happiness: to make those whom we meet in the journey of life happy

General Bishop

Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center