Giving it Away

There is deep wisdom in children.

Matthew, my eldest, learnt the other day that Bill Gates was the richest man on the planet.

He said to his mother,

"Do you know that Bill Gates has $50bn? That is more money he can spend in his lifetime. If I had that much money, do you know what I would do?"

His mother looked at him expectantly.

"I would give $49bn away, and keep $1bn. It would be less of a headache. I wouldn't need the rest at all."

Little did Matthew know, that this is exactly what Bill Gates is trying to do. Bill has given over $30bn to his foundation. Warren Buffett is doing the same. He wants to give away 85% of his holdings in Berkshire Hathaway to the Gates Foundation.

It is hard for us to be generous - both with money and with our time. In the rat race of life, we always want more. But at some stage in our lives, for it to be meaningful, we need to start giving back.

We need to think like children again and say that this is enough, and I don't really need that. When we can do this, then I think we have truly grown up.