This write is quite unlike the normal posts you will find on this site. The subject matter of this article has coursed through my mind for the past three to four weeks. And today, I have decided to write about it. By the end of this article, I hope that I would have influenced or triggered something meaningful in you.
In a generation that is extremely invested in clout, there seems to be a little sensitivity to our humanity. My name is Adeoye Damilola Adegboyega Louis, and I have come to realize that there is more to life than likes, tweets, retweets, clout chasing, bragging, and empty promises. So, at every chance I get, I waste no time exploring my humanity. What does it mean to explore humanity? Read on…
At some point in our lives, we have to realize that an integral part of our being is hinged on how much empathy we have to give, how much compassion we have to show because truly, life will be empty and a big waste of time we sacrifice our humanity for cheap, vain, and temporary possessions. Philanthropy is currently at an exciting stage of development in Nigeria. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in institutional philanthropy both physically and online. On Twitter, much like other platforms, there is regular monetary philanthropy which has now been sloganized as “giveaways”
Once in a while, I also give to people via my Twitter handle. I am very cautious of my intentions for giveaways. For me, it has never been about gaining recognition -my sporty tweets already get me that- rather, it is the thrill that accompanies it. I have earned enough money to consider myself comfortable, but I believe that my truest satisfaction comes from giving back to society. That is what keeps me going, it has always been about giving for me and probably always will.
Quick question: what side of you do you show to people in need? Be honest with yourself. When you see someone in need, what first comes to your mind? Ignoring them? Empathizing with them? Doing everything to help them?
Personally, mine is empathy. It could just be helping even the smallest human, even when it doesn’t seem like it would make much of a difference. There is a satisfaction I derive from that smile from that total stranger I helped. It’s the rush I get from knowing that I put a smile on not just one human’s face but the faces of many more.
You see, it doesn’t take a lot to be able to give back, mostly it takes the guts, courage and the will to do good and boom! Every other thing begins to fall in place. It has nothing to do with the millions you have stashed up in some account. Don’t get me wrong, having millions is good, but you don’t need all the money in the world to help a neighbour, to aid a friend, or raise the weak.
Sometimes you don’t even need money.The truth remains that it is not always about how much you have, rather, it is about how much you are willing to give and how far you are willing to go to put a smile on the next human’s face. I once heard someone talk about how it was pure witchcraft for anyone to be in a position to offer help, yet hold back. it was said to be a joke, a statement to laugh over and forget, but for me, it’s a life decision I hold dear. The constant need to help one is one of the core ideals that makes us human.
It’s saddening, but if I must be honest with myself, a vast majority of Nigerians cannot prioritize this aspect of our humanity. We donate unnecessarily to things that are not needed and spend recklessly. Yes, it is your money and you have no one to be accountable to with regards to your spending but it doesn’t have to be like that. We need to show more care and empathy to people around us.So, the next time you feel the need to live lavish in a club or live reckless for the weekend, remember to spare some amount for folks who are genuinely helpless. We have our differences, but we can unanimously agree to be kinder.
For more discussions on this, do follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/LouieDi13
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