Joy of Giving
P.L. Vidhani
Once Katherin Hepburn, the great Hollywood actress, the only person who won the Oscar award 4 times but was never present in the grand ceremony to receive it. She had a strong belief that only the affection and love of the people who enjoyed her acting and cinema was the greatest reward for her. She was from a middle class family. Once she was standing with her parents in line to buy tickets for a circus. Finally, there was only one other family between them and the ticket counter. By their excitement, she could sense they had never been to the circus before. It would be a greatest joy of their lives to watch a circus.
The ticket lady stated the price. The man didn't have enough money. Seeing what was going on, the father of Ketheren Hepburn reached into the pocket, pulled out money and then dropped it on the ground. Then her father bent down, picked up the money, tapped the man on the shoulder and said - “excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket”.
The man understood what was going on. He wasn't begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking and embarrassing situation. He looked straight into Hepburn's eyes, took his hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the money, and with his lips quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied “Thank you Sir. This really means a lot to me and my family”.
Hepburn family went back to their car and drove home. The money that he gave away was what they were going to buy their own tickets with. Although they didn't get to see the circus, that night they felt a joy inside, that was far greater than seeing the circus.