Joy of Giving - Card 13 experience

Rahmath recently started following the Joy of Giving cards and wrote this on her blog about her experience with Card 13.

When I first read it, I smiled from ear to ear. Here is a girl who is making a sincere attempt to do things not in her nature to do otherwise and I cannot but applaud her for it. So Rahmath dear, I give you the Determination Award I have instituted to encourage bloggers to participate in the Joy of Giving. You are swimming against the tide and I support and applaud your efforts!

Do post it on your blog :-)

And Rahmath, I totally agree when you say "You know even though the cards say you are doing it for strangers, I think these cards help us give happiness to ourselves more." 

I did it!. I actually did it again!

Yes, compared to Week 12 JGC of handing over 10 inspirational quotes to strangers; Week 13 card of making chai for your night watchman, was easy. But, it would be a lie to say my heart did not race at the thought of just handing out tea to someone I have never even seen the face. (I know…..sad).

There he was standing, doing his job, watching the street dog and her kids play . Haha he might not have even noticed someone watching him like a hawk .(that was me). I waited till 10:00 pm but then, I watched him check if all the cars in our lane were locked or not. He was moving away from our house. But I knew he would come back. I planned everything to the moment, even the dialogues. When I saw him nearing; I ran down.

“Bhaiyya” I called out to him slowly.
“Meinea thodi chai banayee hain, piyogea?”
(Translated to …”Brother” (We call everybody not related, brother) “I have made some tea , Would you like to have some?).

He was surprised .It was apparent in his eyes. He did not smile. But then he looked like those father types men serious and straight, who rarely showed pleasure or pain outside that much.
“Tand hain. Garam kuch hain tho zaroor piyengea.”
(Translated : Its cold here. If there is something hot , I will surely drink).

I ran back home, poured the hot hot tea in a glass , ran back and gave it to him. Then I came back with the greatest grin in my face and told my husband with a giggly dance. “I did it”. “I did it”.

Surprised but smiling he asked, “You actually did it?” He is one person who knows how much of a scaredy puss I actually am. I am so glad I have him. He never dampens my excitement even when I do anything at all. I nodded happily.

I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep. I can do this again. I can do this again. After drinking the tea the watchman just kept the glass outside our stairs. I couldn’t ask him if he liked my tea. But I am satisfied.

You know even though the cards say you are doing it for strangers, I think these cards help us give happiness to ourselves more.

And don’t you think it’s our duty to ourselves, to do things that make us happy?; because only then, can we make others happy.

Hence, Highly recommended to try them out!

Joy of Giving - Card 13 experience

My friend and fellow blogger Alka wrote this on FB for the Joy of Giving card 13! 

She has been making tea for the security guards in her society for "selfish reasons" she says. Once you read what the selfish reason is, I assure you, you will be tempted to become just as 'selfish'.

I reproduce this with her permission. Read on:

I often used to make pot of tea for the security guards. I even bought thermos flasks for such purpose only. I used to put thermos at an appropriate place from where the security guards can spot it easily. I remember my niece TP was barely a year old at that time. I used to balance TP and tea-pot when I went out to give tea to security guard. One day, I was sitting and watching television when TP came towards me and said something to the tune of 'Gawd'. I was pretty confused what she wanted from me. I asked her to repeat what she was trying to convey. Frustrated with my lack of understanding, Toddler TP forced me to abandon TV and she tried to drag me to my bedroom. There she pointed towards my jacket and told me again, 'Gawd, cha'!!!! Then it struck to me, she wanted me to make tea, place her on my waist and have tea-pot in my other hand and hand it over to Guard!! How closely kids watch us is sometimes frightening.

Later on we shifted to another apartment. Here too, I used to make tea for security guards on and often. Even today, the guard came and handed me a fancy tea-pot. Sometimes they get spare milk from somewhere and ask me to make tea. Sometimes they get milk and sugar and ask for tea leaves only. These days, winter has set in suddenly and I try to give our security guards tea everyday.In fact we have 63 flats in our society. If residents of every flat provide guards with tea, their next turn will come after 2 months! But its too much to expect, I think.

I am not an altruistic person. When I do something like this, I have a very selfish reason. I want my surroundings to be pleasant and full of positive energy. Small acts like this fulfill my selfish purpose. Security guards always greet me cheerfully. They are more than happy to help me in our hour of need. One day my nephew was returning from office. It was quite late, in fact 2:30 AM. Street dogs were getting quite ferocious with him. He phoned me, stating his plight. I assured him, that I will pick him up. But when I tried to start my car, it refused to come to life. I went to the security guard and told him about the problem. He immediately told me not to worry. He narrated the entire incident to another guard. Told him to be vigil as he was going out for few minutes. He took his danda to scare away the dogs and came back with my nephew in five minutes!

Joy of Giving - Card 13 experience

Candid confession - I am a bad tea maker!

Yes... During the days I lived in Delhi and my father visited us often, he would ensure that either he made the tea himself or got the maid to make it. The chai I'd brew would be impossibly bland (yeah! Imagine tea tasting bland...), and dad would always complain that it would either be too watery, too milky or just not boiled enough.

When I'd follow the instructions to make good (and palatable) chai (from mom over STD mind you!), the cup would never be full! I would end up brewing half a cup and would wonder where the damn water disappeared!!!!

Coffee on the other hand is so so simple to make (and drink!)

I don't drink tea (and lately I have stopped drinking coffee too - turned vegan) and always attributed my atrocious tea making skills to the fact that I didn't enjoy a cup of the Indian chai, brewed and boiled, milky and sugary.

I can of course make English tea (just have to boil water and the tea bag does the rest, or simply pour a teaspoon of tea powder in to the boiling water and cover till the flavour soaks in - easy peasy)...

Anyway to cut a long story short, I spent two whole days wondering how I will brew tea good enough to be consumed by the night security staff of my housing complex as part of the Joy of Giving card 13.

Last night, I just plunged into the act. I tried to follow my instincts...and actually stood there tapping on the platform as the tea boiled (hoping its boiled enough).

Brewing one cup has been a challenge for over 20 years, imagine I had to brew almost 20 cups!!! So I took an easy way out. Camouflaged the taste with cardamom and ginger .... And handed over the two flasks at the gate to the supervisor (who by the way, accepted them as if he is used to receiving chai from residents!).

In the morning I picked up the flasks and the cups and the supervisor wasn't there, but the other security men were all smiles; one even thanked me...

Whether they were simply happy that someone had chosen to give them tea on a winter night (its 11 degrees in Pune) or they actually enjoyed the taste, I won't know. But I am glad that 10 people I fed tea to, smiled afterwards :-)