I want to be a philanthropist. When I was young, I found a way to give away everything, keeping only a few necessities. It worked well for me. In many ways I actually had more than I needed. I lived in obscurity, with purpose and gratefully. And so I grew. And then I got the chance to give away more, and I did. On the surface, and to the casual observer, my life was not (and never was) what it seemed. I always knew that below the surface things were not as they appeared. But I also knew that some people do not grasp this.
A significant thing I gave away (with no little pain), was the Brand I so strongly identified with. Letting go of it was a brutal process, but I knew that I’d just be relinquishing the superficial elements of an identity that remained. What seemed a reversal of sorts, was nothing of the kind. I had a crystal clear awareness about the upside-down turn my life would take.
Obviously, the philanthropy of people like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates and Mother Teresa has enormous power to rekindle hope and courage in me and in the disheartened who pay attention. And this is crucial for me, seeing that natural disasters, failed governments, thievery, lunacy and corruption do deprive entire populations of sustenance and peace, of life and liberty.
Even when I gave away all I thought I could, there was more to give. And I can see that the heart of a philanthropist is something to emulate. Every day I count my blessings. Every day, in my simple and obscure life, I need to become a philanthropist. How? Without any Brand, but with purpose and meaning, with consciousness and conscience, with compassion and humanity.
The specifics of my particular story matter little in comparison with the truth of these reflections. Besides, skipping the specifics helps me focus and stay on point. Yes?
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