Hi to all readers, sorry for missing in action for the past few weeks. I was away in Cambodia for community service at this village named Koh Krobey. I had a fruitful experience and I learnt a great deal from the children living in the same village as me.

As a volunteer, it is just as natural for me to want to provide the children with everything that I can. Very soon, I realised it is not just plain simple giving.

I began to feel that I should not be giving them everything but rather things that they really want and need. That’s when I realised the importance of listening to their dialogues and discover the needs and wants.

Too many a times, I realised we just presumed what others need, forgetting that these are just assumptions in our Model of the World. It also dawned on me that giving too much can cause dissatisfaction because the other party feels misunderstood and that he/she do not deserved as much. My principle of giving is that it has to improve the quality of life of the recipient. Giving is no longer an act of generosity or kindness if it belittles the recipient.

Listening and observing is an art to be practised and giving just what are required at the appropriate times is definitely better than giving too much.