Confessions of a donor

I donate not for tax saving or to feel good about myself.

I donate not for showing off to others that I am a responsible citizen.

I donate not to hide my black money or to book a seat in heaven.

I donate not because I feel pity for the poor and lesser fortunate.
 
I donate because I’ve received so much from others .
 
I donate because I remember how my maid who couldn’t feed her own child well took care of me all day when my mom was busy.
 
I donate because I remember the smiling child who served me tea at that chota chai tapri, missing his play time.
 
I donate because I saw a family begging when I looked outside from the CCD.
 
I donate because I remember how my driver dropped me everyday to school while his own child would walk miles to carry some water.
 
I donate because I can walk without crutches.

I donate because I remember what that abandoned old man told me about life, the other day.
 
I donate because I have seen the hungry kid at Chowpatty staring at freshly made pav bhaji and pulao.
 
I donate because I have seen the existence of love and hate together in the eyes of that sex worker downtown.
 
I donate because I remember how that hijra prayed the world for me when I just gave him a rupee.
 
I donate because I’ve seen those street kids speak in broken wrong English just to appear educated.
 
I donate because I’ve seen the woman near my house being beaten up by her husband when she tried to stop him from selling their daughter.
 
I donate because I’ve traveled on the cycle rickshaw where the puller's legs were swollen.
 
I donate because I’ve seen two vegetable vendors fighting for 3 rupees.
 
I donate because I know at least 4 people personally, who turned to crime just for money.
 
I donate because I can see the world around us.
 
I donate because I am a human. 

- Shashi Bhushan Singh