Daily Prompt: A Storybook Day

You have to spend one day as or with your favorite fictional character.Which  one would it be and what would you do?

I read many books and while reading a particular book, I fell in love with the main character and found that my love for the character   was only temporary, and when another book and another character came along, I transferred my loyalty to that character I was presently reading about.If this is what happens to me from one  book to another, how will I be able to choose my favorite character.

I’ve decided to choose a real person who wrote about the facts of life. Instead of choosing a favorite  fictional character ,I have selected a real life person and chose his thoughts about, ‘Giving’, the book is written by Kahlil Gibran and the topic is ‘Giving’.

In his book ‘The Prophet’, the author introduced his thoughts in a fictional manner. His thoughts are presented by his main character,Al Mustafa.

Mustafa returns to his Isle of birth, where the inhabitants plead  with him not to leave them until their questions were answered.

Al-Mustafa answered the questions, one at a time. When the rich man said , speak to us about giving , I joined with the rest of the people , I was interested to know about ‘Giving’ what is the best way of reaching my goal without anyone knowing, only  myself and the Divine.

You give but little when you give of your possessions, for these are something you guard and keep because you think you may need them tomorrow.

Speaking about possessions I could think of the clothes I have, when I give some of them away, do I give it half-heartedly, because tomorrow I might need them? I don’t like this type of giving which constantly reminds me what I gave away I could have used at a later date.

I agree with Mustafa it is  better to  give when unasked than asked.

Another thought that Mustafa presented which he didn’t like, was give to those who are deserving, how can one know who is deserving?

The trees in the orchard say no, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give so they may live, for to withhold is to perish.Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

The  day I spent with Mustafa was the most useful day  for me. I understood what giving means.My love for the fictional character,Mustafa is permanent, because he explains the real  facts of life in a beautiful way!

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Continuation of the story: On Giving

Then a rich man said:

Speak to us about giving:

And he answered : You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow what shall tomorrow bring to the over- prudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

There are those who give little of the much which they have–and they give it for recognition and their hidden desires makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little but give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

You often say, “I will give but only to the deserving,”

The trees in your orchard say not so, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And you receivers-and you are all receivers -assume no weight of gratitude lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

For to be overmindful of your debt is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

To be continued 🙂

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