Cairo the 9th September, 2009
“Giving from your heart always returns to you with doubled gifts”
Helping the ones who have less than you and the whole concept of CHARITY is a big thing in Muslim religion and one of its five pillars.
When Ramadan arrives, the charity pillar kicks in in all its strength and the wealthy release their sense of guilt by sponsoring food tables for the communal “iftar” (break fast) in the streets and by donating money to several causes or individuals.
Charity and the concept of the richest giving to the poorer is one of the points I admire in this misunderstood religion although I am not a particular fan of charity because it perpetuates the abysmal differences between the classes.
The excessively rich keep stealing and growing fatter while the poor serve them and wait for the remains or the bones of each luxury meal.
The rich keep corrupting and being corrupted though they find in charity a way to clean their dirty sheet of sins. One good act of charity seems to erase – in most muslim heads – the misdeeds of the opulence crowd.
It doesn’t sound good to me.
I am much more fond of equality of opportunities, free and efficient education for EVERYONE with no distinction of social class, religion or race. I believe in self-worth and in providing people with the tools to work and produce whatever their dreams ask them to instead of maintaining the poor in the gutters and throwing them occasional financial aids. They’re still miserable and helpless, even if you help them with charity just to empty your mind of the guilt you have accumulated.
Their life doesn’t change. “Pashas” are still “pashas” and the miserable serva
nts are still miserable servants. Society classes and unfair structure remains the same.
Although I am not financially rich, I am perceived as such for many reasons:
I am a foreigner and it’s understood that all foreigners are rich (!?).
I am an active artist working in a market where people imagine loads of money is made daily. I have to clarify that honest dancers who don’t prostitute themselves do not make such money. The great loads of money, the expensive cars and flats some “dancers” exhibit come from prostitution and not from a clean, daily work as a dancer. Is that clear?!
I have to struggle with daily expenses like any normal person.
Also there is the constant investment in my career, meaning paying better musicians and rehearsals, new dresses and good quality make-up, cosmetics and all the extra expenses you need to take care of when you’re dancing constantly and need to be fit and fresh all the time (manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, hairdresser, etc).
If I handled money to everybody who needs it and asks for it, I would be penniless. Cairo is full of beggars and people in need. My heart breaks every time I see this people in the street and yet I know there’s not much I can do but…
I also know that if I don’t take my “cappuccino” or my “chai latte” some times and just give away that money to people who need it, I don’t die, I don’t really miss my drinks that much and that small money means a few meals to a poor person. Small gestures like this make no big difference in my life but have an incredible effect on the life of the ones who receive the help.
When my own assistant told me that she would finally buy meat for her family meal after I pay her the first dance dress she embroidered for me, I realized that a little bit – for me – it was a LOT for her and that any small help would mean good food on her family table. I imagined the smiles of her children and their pleasure eating together…that’s priceless.
Walking to the gym instead of taking a taxi and then giving that money I didn’t spend to someone who needs it.
Not buying that new dress I have been dreaming about (but that I don’t really need cause I have enough dresses) and using that money to improve someone’s week and put food on their table.
Resisting the urge to go to a fancy restaurant and, instead, cooking at home and paying an extra fee to my hard working assistant knowing that her family will have a great meal and her son will receive a birthday present that, otherwise, she would not be able to afford.
All these small gestures are harmless to me – they even benefit me, somehow – and they bring such happiness to others!
This is a conscience I have been building up inside me since I moved to Egypt.
One of the good sides of living in Egypt (you learn even from the dark side of a unjust society where most people live in extreme poverty).
I also learn about the concept of GRATITUDE for all I have.
I thank God in my deepest sense of humbleness.
Today was a special day. I always give from my heart and not to the ones people expect me to. I follow no
protocols or “should do’s”. Whenever I feel like giving money or a gift to someone – for my own personal reasons – I find out that it always comes back in double/triple to me. I expect nothing in return but the pleasure of GIVING but nature takes its course and miracles happen. The Universe is a great, fascinating place to live in. Its mathematical order never ceases to amaze me.
I wanted to give some extra money to the lady who cleans the bathrooms in “Nile Maxim” (me and the cleaning ladies, an eternal love affair I cannot understand until today) and a beautiful box of Ramadan sweets for her family. I also wanted to offer the same Ramadan sweets to the son of one of my musicians who is recovering from a severe car accident.
I had been compassionate with this musician’s son situation not only because I knew about it but because I could clearly feel his deep sadness and concern on his music. Listening attentively to any of my musicians give me tips about whom they are and what’s their mood. And so I cried along – dancing to his nostalgic, sad “taksims” - with my musician while his son was in hospital and I also rejoiced with him when he got better and returned home to his family.
I had to show express my happiness.
And so I did.
The joy, gratitude and smiles of both of them cannot be expressed by words and my pleasure with their reactions cannot either. Their eyes in full emotion shone like diamonds and told me things only souls can understand and assimilate. Magical…
The cleaning lady – Salma – was ecstatic when I delivered her money and sweets but nothing amazed her more or got her more tearful than the simple fact that I knew her name.
“I love you, ya Salma. I am happy that you’re happy.” – I told her from my heart.
“Do you know my name??!!! How come you know my name?!” – She gasped in total amazement.
Then again, I cannot describe the joy episodes like this bring to my life.
It’s true and confirmed that, when you give from your heart, the joy comes back twice as strong to you. I am still floating…
“Giving from your heart always returns to you with doubled gifts”
Helping the ones who have less than you and the whole concept of CHARITY is a big thing in Muslim religion and one of its five pillars.
When Ramadan arrives, the charity pillar kicks in in all its strength and the wealthy release their sense of guilt by sponsoring food tables for the communal “iftar” (break fast) in the streets and by donating money to several causes or individuals.
Charity and the concept of the richest giving to the poorer is one of the points I admire in this misunderstood religion although I am not a particular fan of charity because it perpetuates the abysmal differences between the classes.
The excessively rich keep stealing and growing fatter while the poor serve them and wait for the remains or the bones of each luxury meal.
The rich keep corrupting and being corrupted though they find in charity a way to clean their dirty sheet of sins. One good act of charity seems to erase – in most muslim heads – the misdeeds of the opulence crowd.
It doesn’t sound good to me.
I am much more fond of equality of opportunities, free and efficient education for EVERYONE with no distinction of social class, religion or race. I believe in self-worth and in providing people with the tools to work and produce whatever their dreams ask them to instead of maintaining the poor in the gutters and throwing them occasional financial aids. They’re still miserable and helpless, even if you help them with charity just to empty your mind of the guilt you have accumulated.
Their life doesn’t change. “Pashas” are still “pashas” and the miserable serva
nts are still miserable servants. Society classes and unfair structure remains the same.Although I am not financially rich, I am perceived as such for many reasons:
I am a foreigner and it’s understood that all foreigners are rich (!?).
I am an active artist working in a market where people imagine loads of money is made daily. I have to clarify that honest dancers who don’t prostitute themselves do not make such money. The great loads of money, the expensive cars and flats some “dancers” exhibit come from prostitution and not from a clean, daily work as a dancer. Is that clear?!
I have to struggle with daily expenses like any normal person.
Also there is the constant investment in my career, meaning paying better musicians and rehearsals, new dresses and good quality make-up, cosmetics and all the extra expenses you need to take care of when you’re dancing constantly and need to be fit and fresh all the time (manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, hairdresser, etc).
If I handled money to everybody who needs it and asks for it, I would be penniless. Cairo is full of beggars and people in need. My heart breaks every time I see this people in the street and yet I know there’s not much I can do but…
I also know that if I don’t take my “cappuccino” or my “chai latte” some times and just give away that money to people who need it, I don’t die, I don’t really miss my drinks that much and that small money means a few meals to a poor person. Small gestures like this make no big difference in my life but have an incredible effect on the life of the ones who receive the help.
When my own assistant told me that she would finally buy meat for her family meal after I pay her the first dance dress she embroidered for me, I realized that a little bit – for me – it was a LOT for her and that any small help would mean good food on her family table. I imagined the smiles of her children and their pleasure eating together…that’s priceless.
Walking to the gym instead of taking a taxi and then giving that money I didn’t spend to someone who needs it.
Not buying that new dress I have been dreaming about (but that I don’t really need cause I have enough dresses) and using that money to improve someone’s week and put food on their table.
Resisting the urge to go to a fancy restaurant and, instead, cooking at home and paying an extra fee to my hard working assistant knowing that her family will have a great meal and her son will receive a birthday present that, otherwise, she would not be able to afford.
All these small gestures are harmless to me – they even benefit me, somehow – and they bring such happiness to others!
This is a conscience I have been building up inside me since I moved to Egypt.
One of the good sides of living in Egypt (you learn even from the dark side of a unjust society where most people live in extreme poverty).
I also learn about the concept of GRATITUDE for all I have.
I thank God in my deepest sense of humbleness.
Today was a special day. I always give from my heart and not to the ones people expect me to. I follow no
protocols or “should do’s”. Whenever I feel like giving money or a gift to someone – for my own personal reasons – I find out that it always comes back in double/triple to me. I expect nothing in return but the pleasure of GIVING but nature takes its course and miracles happen. The Universe is a great, fascinating place to live in. Its mathematical order never ceases to amaze me.I wanted to give some extra money to the lady who cleans the bathrooms in “Nile Maxim” (me and the cleaning ladies, an eternal love affair I cannot understand until today) and a beautiful box of Ramadan sweets for her family. I also wanted to offer the same Ramadan sweets to the son of one of my musicians who is recovering from a severe car accident.
I had been compassionate with this musician’s son situation not only because I knew about it but because I could clearly feel his deep sadness and concern on his music. Listening attentively to any of my musicians give me tips about whom they are and what’s their mood. And so I cried along – dancing to his nostalgic, sad “taksims” - with my musician while his son was in hospital and I also rejoiced with him when he got better and returned home to his family.
I had to show express my happiness.
And so I did.
The joy, gratitude and smiles of both of them cannot be expressed by words and my pleasure with their reactions cannot either. Their eyes in full emotion shone like diamonds and told me things only souls can understand and assimilate. Magical…
The cleaning lady – Salma – was ecstatic when I delivered her money and sweets but nothing amazed her more or got her more tearful than the simple fact that I knew her name.
“I love you, ya Salma. I am happy that you’re happy.” – I told her from my heart.
“Do you know my name??!!! How come you know my name?!” – She gasped in total amazement.
Then again, I cannot describe the joy episodes like this bring to my life.
It’s true and confirmed that, when you give from your heart, the joy comes back twice as strong to you. I am still floating…
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