I often meet Prakash when I go for my walks. A decent chap, he has rather unusual opinions on many topics which provide me with interesting and alternate perspectives. One day Prakash suddenly snorted in anger. "Who is to say, who is poor? Many of these beggars are just lazy and find easier to beg for a living. In addition many of them are aggressive and rude. I will never give anything to a beggar again, they do not deserve, they are an ungrateful".

Prakash narrated his previous day's experience. Prakash's wife Chanda is a kind and deeply religious person. She visits the temple daily, where she offers prayers and then gives alms and food to the poor. Prakash the dutiful husband always drives her to the temple and back. Yesterday, unable to find parking, Prakash decided he would stay in the car. Lost in thought, Prakash was soon jarred out of his reverie by a persistent tapping on his elbow. An elderly woman stretched her palm out at him, begging. Feeling magnanimous Prakash dropped ten rupees into the outstretched hand. The lady looked blankly at Prakash, rubbed her stomach and said, "I am hungry, give me more."

Prakash was at first astonished, then upset. He gave her a piece of his mind calling her ungrateful etc. The elderly woman hobbled off with a scowl on her face muttering something unpleasant. Prakash finally said "instead of being grateful, the stupid woman abused me." I asked Prakash what he expected in return? "Of course!" he said, "I expected a smile, some acknowledgement maybe even a blessing. But the woman .. she was simply horrible".

I felt sorry, but could not figure out for whom. Why is this world sometimes so cruel and people so silly? Here was another perfectly good example of an act of charity resulting not in joy but in bitterness and disgust.

Earlier transacting business and making money drove everything I did. My world was filled with other deal makers, everyone trying to-out smart or out-deal the other person. I earned a lot of money, but little else. Now I give of myself more than of my possessions and I find I am surrounded by many kind and wonderful people. I have learned the hard way that nothing is really ours. Everything is transient and temporary? I had earned much, only to lose it all. Neither these possessions nor these relationships, not even this body is ours for long. A day will come when all that we possess will be taken away from us.

Unhappiness is caused by unfulfilled expectations. So to be happy we must have no expectations or be able to fulfil them. But Expectations is like a moving goal post, the more we get the more we expect. With expectations it will be rare for us to be contented or happy. Maybe it's the law of nature, what goes around seems to come around. Be it love, compassion or money, the more I give the more I receive.

To be happy and carefree here is a formula. Be it family, friends or even strangers give unconditionally and expect no fame, benefit or profit in return. Then experience how your spirit will soar to the heavens, for then you would no more be a human, but an angel.