Just Give! (unlike Nike's Just Do It!)

Last night i caught up with one of my good friends, Inder (thats a photo of him, stolen from his facebook page). Inder is 22 and started his own bag design company that is doing really well. He is a dready strutting Sikh  whose family lives in Delhi (and would die if they knew that he had dreads), he studied at the National Institute for Fashion Technology not far from here, and he volunteers a lot (which is how we met). I wish i had a photo to post...he is a character.

We went to Seva Cafe- an experiment in kindness that started nearly 5 years back and has since become self-sustaining.  The cafe has very little staff and depends heavily on volunteers.  People come by every day (except monday- closed) to greet, seat, serve, cook and mingle. The cafe is located on posh CG road in A'bad and surrounded by high fashion and diamond retailers. The interior is beautifully done and local families come by to explore the menu that changes daily. Last night we could pick from 1. okra and chapati (flat bread) 2. rice and lentils 3. pesto pasta 4. veg sandwich 5. veg chutney 6. vanilla ice cream with choc syrup! (tried everything except #3 and #5)

the deal? you eat everything on your plate and you pay what and if you wish.

The whole concept is that your meal has already been paid for by another and you are welcome to pay for the next. it explores and teaches us how to function in a gift economy (a concept so legit, it has its own wiki page!).  One of the volunteers, an Indian girl who grew up in America and is studying at Ohio State, gave a good, brief description of the mindset behind the Cafe: rather than only thinking about giving to the homeless or those that ask on the street (viewed as a top down model of giving) we should shift our mindsets. Why not just give?  Whatever you can, whenever you can, to anyone and everyone ( a circular model- and who doesnt love a circle!).  If we are one big family- if we are sharing one big world- then why not?

Small gifts

Many smiles

Pure intentions

Gladly!

(From previous experience, I know people get uneasy when talking about kindness.  My apologizes to all the readers (i am up to 9!!!) who are disgusted by words such as gift, smile, giving, and love.  I encourage you to instead focus on the words economy, model, and chocolate syrup. Have a good day!)