What if?

Chapter 27: Kindness is a virus

Michael

My family changed a lot when Nick came to be part of it. In the past I used to be so lonely inside my house. Mom and dad are very busy. Well, when I was 1-3 years old mom didn't have a job. I mean, she was always in the house, teaching me things and taking care of me. But when the company expanded, they decided to also let mom work. Janice told me that mom and dad had a huge fight. She also added that it was the only fight she saw mom and dad had and it was the worst. She never heard mom and dad shout since she got to be part of this family. Back then they were shouting at each other because of this problem. She added that dad doesn't want mom to work because she has to take care of me and he doesn't want mom to be tired at work. Mom on the other hand was worried about dad because he has to go to other countries and cities to expand the business. So overall the cause of their fight was they just don't want each other to be tired and stressed out because of the business.

In the first place, why did they choose to start a bank, when they know that it has a lot of work to do?  This was the question I asked them before. After seeing the both of them being tired whenever they come back home. Sometimes I can't even have some time with them that much. Mom and dad explained to me that they chose to have this type of business because there are a lot of banks in the country but some of them are just playing around with the money. They wanted to help the people too. People trust our bank to increase their money. "In this way, we can help the economy to become better and also poor people to have a chance to become rich in the future." This was their statement to me. I was only 8 years old when I understood how bank businesses work. 

Mom and dad cared a lot to the people that they even chose to cut the taxes in half by giving it to the government so it can help people and giving the other half to charities. Whenever I have my birthday, I hold it in charities like kids, adults, people with disabilities and so much more. But of course this started when I was 6 years old already. It was the time where I was able to understand my feelings and compassion for poor and needy people. Every year another charity. Maybe you are asking if I were asked to do this, the answer is no. Mom and dad never forced me to do anything, especially to become someone like them. Someone who has compassion for the poor and needy. I was the one who decided to do this. 

The story behind why I celebrate my birthday in charities was because back then mom and dad talked about charities. I asked them what it was and they told me that there are a lot of charities locally and most especially internationally. So I asked why they were discussing it, dad answered me that they were thinking about the next charity to help. They have pictures of the charities that they were choosing to help. I saw a charity that really caught my eyes, it was a charity for disabled people young and adults. It touched my heart. Back then, it was already August and it was my birth month. So something came to my mind. It was the idea of holding my birthday to that certain charity. It was a great memory when I held my birthday there so I decided to have my birthdays in charities to make people happy. That was the first time where I felt I was being a human being. My friend John even asked me when he learned  that I do such things when we started to become close with each other. I told him that it makes me smile to see people happy. After that, John also celebrated his birthdays with charities. See? I was able to gather people and help more people. I guess that this is my mission to this world. Nah, I'm just kidding. 

I am also well-known in the school to be the kindest in the whole school and even got an award. So funny because that kind of award didn't exist when I wasn't still schooling there. After I enrolled there as a student, they created this award and until now I am still getting this award every year. I am also a student of the year every year in this school. I think this school year it will still be the same. John asked me once if I feel tired of going to the stage and receiving the same awards. I don't just get these awards, I have more awards so he asked me this. I said no, the reason is that I really do feel very honored whenever I receive such awards. It makes me feel so glad deep inside my heart. Besides, I don't do these kinds of things so people will see how good or what I am. The reason is pure, I want to be a kind person to people, to make my parents proud and to make me happy because this is one of my happiness. 

I often get different perspectives of people, especially at school. Some guys don't like me because of this but I just don't give a thing. I believe that if something is pure you should not care about people's opinions around you instead, just continue to be pure and pure people will see that in your doings. Being smart and outstanding is an advantage to this world. It is only a mere honor so people will respect you. Having a kind and pure heart is what is important for me. You are not just letting people respect you but also recruiting more people to become one which is the greatest honor for me. To become an instrument to spread kindness. People said that kindness runs in our blood. Since both of my grandparents are also people with good hearts, I don't think so. I believe that it is only because my parents saw the genuine love of my grandparents to other people so they became one too and same reason for me. 

I still haven't told this to Nick. I am planning not to tell him but instead I will just bring him to the charity that I will hold on my birthday so he will see and get to understand the feeling. Don't get me wrong, I don't want Nick to go there so he will also be someone who will help people like or whole family but it is because I want to give him an idea that he can also do things like this. I know that Nick also has a big heart for people because he came from the same situation. I already planned everything for my birthday. Mom and dad also agreed with it. They will be there too. Even mom and dad don't have much time to spend with me, but they really try their best to spend my birthday with them. In my 10 years of existence, I always hold my birthdays together with them and people that we help. I wish kindness is a virus so we can spread kindness to people around the world easily.