The Very Same Evening That Our ...

The very same evening that our Pune Giftivism retreat ended, it was a joy to 'find' Nipun and so many other friends at a silent sitting gathering at another location in Pune. On the way back I decided to pick up dinner from a nearby favorite restaurant. As I paid for my dinner and waited for my takeaway, I spontaneously decided to pay it forward for another person. The restaurant owner took some time to understand. He first told me to put it in a small box where they were collecting money for charity. I explained to him that this was not charity. It was generosity. He still didn't understand and asked, "Is this a Christmas special gesture or something?". I then explained to him how people forget that in cities, coming from different parts of the country, we think we are disconnected. Generosity has become unheard of. And this was a reminder to our city folk. This was not charity. The people who receive this can choose to spread this gesture for others. Or just receive it knowing that someone cared for them. Anonymously. The look on his face was priceless. I don't know what happened next as I left. But I know something transformed.