“When you have done something good, you have started ripples which are spreading and you will be surprised how far they will go.”
How often do you do something, for someone, without expecting in return? How often do we think of creating good will. For most, the joy of giving comes primarily for the acclaim they get; For others, the pleasure is solely in knowing that they made life happier for someone else.One of the mysteries of life is, that our most valuable possessions are those things that can be shared without lessening them. Least valuable are those things that get diminished by being shared. We must remember that is in only in giving that we receive and in serving that we are remembered. Service is the only rent we can pay for the space we occupy, while we are here in this earth. Silent recognition and remembrance of our services are the dividends we receive for our investments in our “Good Will Bank”.
If we make a habit of doing something nice each day and making someone happy in someway or the other, we will be surprised how quickly it can enrich and change our life. It does not have to be something big. The important thing is that we are doing it for the joy of doing, the pleasure of giving-not for something in return. We are thus building up assets in our “Good Will Bank”.
Let us not forget that one of the greatest blessings of life is, that we are called upon to live one day at a time. To be successful in our efforts towards, creating good will, we must harness our heart with love, understanding and kindness and direct out entire effort towards achieving this goal with a sincerity of purpose. There is no preparation, nothing predetermined for starting an account with the Good Will Bank. Besides these investments are safe because this Bank never fails.
As opposed to this outlook on life, there are people who are constantly finding faults in others and always carry grudges and complaints in their hearts. Such people remain unhappy themselves and make others unhappy too. Their deposits go in a “Grudge Bank”, and can only bring them misery, ill-will and loneliness.
There is nothing worse for a mans character that to harbor grievance. It eats in to you and the only person that suffers from a grievance is the one that is fool enough to feel it. Such people, end up growing old without having any real friends and well wishers.
“Think about how you feel when someone says nice things about you, about your personality, your intelligence and so spotted your virtues. You can make others around you feel nice as well- It does not take much effort. Just a will to do good.”
When was the last time you did something without expecting anything in return? How rich is your Good Will Bank? Do you have any suggestions on how we can all increase our Good Will Deposits? Please share in the comments.
Another Lovely relevant post on a similar topic by Jay @ Porsidan which happens to be one of my favorite blogs – I Totally Screwed My Karma
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*Positive Provocations* 
This is very lovely. And just so true. Living this each day makes my life SO much richer. That the secret to giving: learning that in giving we enrich our lives just as much as those we give to.
Hi Robin,
In living each day as it comes and in giving…we are enriching our lives with so much “good will”. This is the same good will that will certainly come in handy in the future when our hard times vanish faster than we can blink.
I am so glad you like the post. thank you for stopping by and gracing my blog.
This is really great, and very true. Everything we send out is returned to us, and if we send out goodness and positivity, it is returned to us. Likewise, if we send out negativity, fear, and hatred, that is returned to us, too. So thank you, Zeenat, for making the world a better place by continuing to send out goodness and positivity. May it be returned to you 1000 times over!
Hey Jay,
wow…Thanks for the positive wishes. Right back at you 🙂
I remember a post you had written sometime back ‘I totally screwed my karma’. This post also has almost the same principles….whatever you give out comes back to you ten folds. Law of Karma. I think i should add a trackback to that post of yours. Hope you dont mind 🙂
This is a truly wonderful article Zeenat. What a different world it would be if everyone was focused on increasing their Good Will Bank account. Thanks so much for this.
Hi Jonathan,
It would truly be a blissfull world if we all treated each other with gratitude and love…which inturn would lead to a growth in our good will bank. Life would be so much more simple and serene.
Am glad you liked the article. Your comment and appreciation means a lot. Thank you.
Very thoughtful post. I guess I’ve helped an lady get off the bus before. She wasn’t old, she just needed help to get off the pavement. She outstretched her hand and I grabbed it and helped lifted her towards the sidewalk. She said with a huge smile ‘Thank you” as if she was surprised I had helped her. I thought to myself “Just doing my job”.
Thanks for reminding me of this 🙂
Hi John,
How sweetof you to help the lady get off the bus. Arent you a nice guy:) I guess you already have a huge huge account in the Good Will Bank! With your “Just doing my job” attitude to do good things…..you are truly the richest guy around 😉
I love what you’ve written here, and while I’m still working to give without expectation, as you know from last week’s post on the encounter with my friend, I sometimes fail. Progress is being made, though!
One thing I really enjoy doing is smiling at strangers. No matter where I am, I try to make eye contact and smile with everyone I come across. To me, one of the greatest gifts I could receive from a stranger is a warm smile. Talk about free!
By the way, this line struck me as brilliant: “Service is the only rent we can pay for the space we occupy…” That ought to be in a best selling book someday.
Love & joy to you!
Hi Megan,
I love what asmile can do. Truly, melts even the hardest hearts. I like the idea of a simple smile, doing a world a good will. I am gonna remember this one for sure. Usually I do smile…but sometimes i do forget too.
You know the line you noticed….i actually shed a few tears with the realisation on that sentence while i was writing it. The gratitude i felt with My Maker…was just overwhelming.
Thank you so much for your valuable comment. It made my day!
Love and Joy to you too Megan!
“When you have done something good, you have started ripples which are spreading and you will be surprised how far they will go.”
Zeenat, I love that quote. Excellent job here. Thanks!
Hi Stephen,
Am Glad you Liked the Article and the Quote. But the Quote was actually just a sentence i wrote down and thought it should be emphasized. Glad you liked it. Appreciate you encouraging comments always.
This is so YOU!!! You are amazing and I just love you.
Hi Bunny,
Thank you my dear. I am so so happy that you liked this article. Your encouragement has really made me a happy happy happy girl 😉
This is beautiful. Loved the quote at the beginning – “When you have done something good, you have started ripples which are spreading and you will be surprised how far they will go.”
One of the best things of the goodwill bank being that the good deeds don’t cost money. They are gifts which are free for us to give and for others to receive.
Have you seen “Pay It Forward” movie? It talks about doing 3 good things for others without expecting anything in return. And asking them to do 3 goods things for some one else to keep this chain going and making world a beautiful place.
Hi Avani,
The movie you mentioned seems to be very interesting. I must go check it out. The chain of doing good deeds sound like such a wonderful idea.
Oh..as for the quote….it was just a line i wrote, that i thought needed emphasis 🙂 What an honour you actually thought it was some great quote:) Thank you. Made my day.
Oh Zeenat! How positively perfect! My mother always taught me to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Couldn’t be any simpler than that, could it? And I agree with Megan about smiling at everyone. People need to be acknowledged and sometimes a simple smile does just that! I admit I went thru at least a decade (probably in my 20’s) when I asked myself “what’s in it for ME?” — fortunately I grew up and ban that thought along with any expectations.
Thank you for this lovely post! Reading your blog is a blessing!
Hi Suzen,
It is just that simple suzen.“do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
I do love Megans idea of the Smile. I think we can all start a ripple effect with just a smile…so wonderful and so free!
I am so glad you stopped by …and also glad you put a ban to the negative “whats in it for me?”….time and experiences have a beautiful way of enhancing our minds eye:)
Hi Zeenat
In the book ‘Love without End’ Jesus stresses to be the love that you are.
We are ‘love’ and as such our life is ‘love in action’. That way we will harvest our wealth, because only love can reap rewards that are worthwhile. And that is so true, if I look back on my life I love to remember good moments with my parents, friends, family. Those moments are making my life worthwhile, my heart sing and they urge me to create more of those. Those are my driver in life and let me make it a good one.
How lovely to see you describe that in this way, I cannot hear it enough.
HI Wilma,
Indeed Love is within all of us cause God is within each and every one of us. The realization of this magananimity can truly transform our lives and that of others.
Spreading the Love should be our new mantra.
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your wonderful insight. Always such a breath of fresh air.
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Hi Zeenat .. great to be here .. as you so rightly say do unto others as you would have them do to you .. enjoy your day and they’ll enjoy theirs – be kinder, be thoughtful, smile .. enjoy life .. and the ripples will flow out. Your readers have interpreted your words so well – just glad to be here ..
All the best Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Hi Hilary,
I have such a lovely set of readers, all encouraging and always insightful. I am gonna add you to the list as well. You have managed to extract the most important message of this post. Thank you so much for your beautiful comment.
(I followed over from the Tumblemoose blog–thanks, George!)
Okay, about the “Good Will Bank” – Honestly, I was raised to “go the extra mile”. I learned this from my grandparents, as well as my parents. I come from a family who has always helped others–and the majority of the time, it’s a behind-the-scenes type of thing where people don’t even know we helped! There are all sorts of ways we’ve helped people over the years and it’s the best thing ever, in my opinion.
I suppose I’d have to (humbly, of course) say that I think my bank is pretty rich. I learned at a very young age that giving is far better than receiving and that if you help someone financially, that help doesn’t always come back to you in a financial manner–we can reap it with good health, emotional blessings, or some type of personal success or milestone that has nothing to do with finances, but has everything to do with us living a “rich” life. 😉
This is a beautiful post, Zeenat, and I’m so glad George pointed me here!
*smiles*
Michele
Hi Michele,
So good to see you here 🙂
I think you are really lucky to have learned “giving and helping is good”. Its so important for us to teach our children the same too. Cause its these children who are the future.
The richness in your soul is one of the best effects of doing Good Will.
I am so glad you made it here 🙂 …all thanks to George.
Thank you!
And, yes, all thanks to George! 🙂
Indeed, Zeenat! You know what? Sometimes ‘Small things’ matters so it’s not a must to think about hard things; I do believe that even ‘smilling at the face of anyone’ is counted into the “Good Will Bank” since it aimes nothing but happiness for all of us!
p.s. I am glad that I found your blog via your awesome post over “Bunny got Blog”
HI Hicham,
Its true…a small gesture is all we need to do, to get the positive ripples flowing in the right direction. And what easier than a smile 🙂
I am glad you came here too and also appreciate your comments on Bunny Got Blog. All thanks to Bunny for us connecting.
Hope to see you here more often.
Sure, I’ll keep an eye on your blog 🙂 From your avatar, I think I’ll not be mistaken If I said “Ramadan Mubarak or ‘Ramadan Kareem’ as we Egyptians love to say 😀
Hi Zeenat,
You’ve written another beautiful post that reflects how positivity can indeed affect our lives. Filling up our “Good Will” bank becomes so much more important than filling up our bank accounts. As you and others have mentioned, it’s those little things that can make a huge difference in another person’s life – a smile, a compliment, a helping hand, ….
And others often will remember how they felt by receiving those little gifts and will go on to pay it forward – just like the ripples in a pond.
P.S. Congratulations on becoming the New Blog Of The Week at Tumblemoose. Being the bright light you are in blogosphere, you definitely deserve the honor.
Hi Barbara,
Your smiley face always brightens up my blog 🙂 Thank you for the acknowledgement and the honor at Tumblemoose. I am truly humbled…will certainly try to live up to all your expectations.
My Dad always told me to give gifts from the heart rather than the pocket. That gift usually brings more joy than any material thing. Filling upt he good will bank is so easy…we just need the will to do it.
Hi Zeenat – many thanks for those kind words .. it’s very good of you to appreciate my interpretation .. have a great tomorrow now I guess!
All the best & go well – Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Hi, My first visit to your blog……..the topic of your blog is simply great! I found your writing style quite inspirational 🙂
Hi Meam,
Welcome to my blog. I am glad you enjoyed your visit. I hope to see you here again soon. Thank you for your kind words 🙂
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I don’t know If I said it already but …Excellent site, keep up the good work. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks, 🙂
A definite great read..
-Bill-Bartmann
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