Feel Abundant

We have a milkman, Sonuji, who delivers fresh cow milk home every other day. The quantity of milk we buy varies depending upon consumption, more coffee, milkshakes, etc. It was the beginning of the month, and my wife asked Sonuji what the bill value was for the milk delivered over the last month. He did not have a clue. Luckily my wife kept a tab. The Bill was RM 135. She gave Sonuji RM 150 and thanked him for diligently delivering the milk even during these lock-down days.

We have a helper, Ratna, who comes home every day for an hour to help with household chores. Even though the agreement is for an hour’s work, Ratna does not keep count of time. There are many days in the month where she is around for more than an hour. Ratna gets paid more even though she does not demand it.

I am wondering what kind of people would go about doing work without keeping a track and trusting that they will get what their due is? Only those who feel they are wealthy.

A rich person can feel scarcity about money while a daily wage worker with no bank balance can feel like he has everything he needs and more. The difference between the two seems to be in the feeling of abundance and not the material reality we usually fixate on.

 The feeling of abundance comes from the confidence that everything is ok and that you have the capacity and skills to acquire whatever you feel you need to be contented and happy in life.

Scarcity is the feeling that what you need is not likely to be available. It, in turn, activates feelings of urgency, worry, fear. 

Our attitude towards what we have and don’t have has a significant and pervasive effect on how abundant it feels . You could have all you need and more and not experience abundance or you may not have much but feel like you have everything you need and more.

Sonuji and Ratna operate with an attitude of abundance. They are generous with their efforts and trust that the people and the world around will do the honest thing and provide for them. By being generous, both of them are calling scarcity’s bluff. They give more than what others expect of them, and naturally, they get back more.