How To Be A King? Poem by Arun Maji

The most selfish thing you can do,
is not taking something from someone
The most selfish thing you can do,
is to give something to someone

Why giving is the most selfish thing to do?
Because when you give something to someone,
you get most precious thing for yourself.
You get the feeling of ecstasy.
By giving, you lift yourself to the stature of a king.
Only a king can give, not a beggar.
You may be the richest man on the planet,
but if you take from others, you are still a beggar.

Imagine,
just by feeding a hungry man,
you proclaim to the world, you are a King.
This elated feeling makes you smile, makes you sing, makes you dance.
And you become truly happy.
This feeling builds your confidence,
and puts you in a journey to become a real king.
This feeling lifts you up from dungeon of self pity and depression.
You become confident, happy and strong.
Isn't it an extraordinary example
of being a selfish?

No one is there in this world who is not selfish.
Being selfish is not bad,
provided, this selfishness makes you a real king.
A king who is so rich,
that he only gives, but does not take anything back.
But if you be selfish to become a blood sucking bed bug,
you are no better than a beast.

Choice is yours-
either you be a king or a lowly beast.
either you can die the death of a king,
or you can die the death of a lowly rat.

© Arun Maji
Painting: Sophie Anderson