Whoever said ‘the best things in life aren't things' definitely got it right. Forget the helicopter ride, the wad of cash, the plush villa ... sometimes the best gift you can give a loved one does not come in a box tied with a red satin ribbon. It is intangible yet it can be felt deep in your heart. It can bring tears to your eyes – of happiness. It can put a spring in your step or rekindle the guttering flame of hope.
Thoughtfulness, gratitude, sharing in others' happiness, to be able to truly forgive ... The treasure trove of intangibles is always full. All you need to do is pick one and you will never go wrong. And to put it in corporatespeak, it also makes business sense – the ROI (return on investment) is immeasurable and much greater than the principal sum invested.Read on to see how some people's little gestures of love and care became priceless gifts for the recipients.
Swen Sauerberg
German expat living in Dubai
An unassuming person, Sauerberg and his family have been in Dubai since 2006.
“When we moved to Dubai, we left our pet dog behind with my mother-in-law in Germany because we thought he would not be able to adjust to the climate here.
“My wife Uta has always had pets. So she found it very difficult when it came to leaving behind the pet and staying here without one.
“She was not alone. Our teenaged son Joshua too missed him. However, I insisted on not having a pet in Dubai as apart from the climate and the fact that we travel frequently, we have no plans of staying in Dubai for more than 3-4 years.
“My wife, however, was really missing her pet and made it a point to visit pet shops here regularly looking for a pet she could take home.
“I used to join her on her trips reluctantly. One day, while visiting a pet shop, we came across a really lovely dog. He was beautiful and kept looking at the two of us.
“It took just 15 minutes before I succumbed to the sad look on my wife's and the dog's face. When we left the shop we had a new family member with us.
“I must admit that I have no regrets. The dog – little Eddie who is two years old now – is an uncomplicated family member and has brought a lot of joy and fun to our lives. Last summer, when my family flew home to Germany for a six-week summer holiday, Eddie was with them on the plane and he really enjoyed his time in Germany.
“We are most probably returning to Germany this autumn and the dog is for sure joining us. The smile of contentment and happiness on my wife's and son's face because of this small gesture of mine was truly priceless,'' says Sauerberg.
Another incident Sauerberg fondly remembers is when he took his wife on a pleasant journey down memory lane.
“My wife Uta is an educated horse trainer and has spent almost half of her life in stables training horses. She focused mostly on horse jumping and participated regularly in horse jumping competitions in Germany.''
However, some 15 years ago she had to give it up due to health reasons and had never been on a horse or even visited a stable since that day.
“When we arrived in Dubai, I saw an advertisement for the Dubai Show Jumping Championship. I felt it would be nice to take her to the venue so she could see and perhaps stroke a horse, visit the stables... So I bought two tickets for an evening during the championship.
“That day was just fantastic. She was overwhelmed by the place and the things that happened there. She sat with me explaining all that was happening out there (I have no idea about horses or horse jumping).
“I could see how happy she was going back in time. It meant a lot to her and her eyes were filled with tears of happiness. It is one of those fantastic evenings we will never forget.''
Mike Lumley
British expat living in Dubai
Lumley says that in this increasingly materialistic world, where materialistic greed has caused misery and concern for millions of people, he is often reminded of Princess Diana's words, “Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge
that one day someone might do the same for you.''
He has a couple of examples when small acts of kindness have had a huge impact on the recipients... as well as on him.
“The first was when I offered to help a colleague's daughter in going through her university application. She was applying to an English university and was not a native English speaker so was extremely happy when I offered to help.
“I made a few minor adjustments to her application and it was accepted. She was delighted and it gave me immense pleasure to see the joy on her face.''
He remembers another incident when a small act of kindness brought a huge smile to a little boy's face.
“Recently I had gone on a business trip to Mauritius. One morning, I was having a coffee at a roadside cafe. I was wearing a sports cap that I had been given at a Grand Prix I had attended.
“The cap had the logo of the famous motor racing team Ferrari (that my company sponsors). As I was sipping my coffee, I noticed a small boy who was with his parents pause as he passed by my table. He kept staring at me and then I saw him talking to his parents. After a couple of moments, he came over to me and shyly asked me where I had bought my cap from. I told him that I did not buy it but that it was
given to me.
“He nodded, looked disappointed then turned around and walked back to his parents. I guessed what was
on his mind so I called out to him.
“He walked back to me ... and I took off my cap and gave it to him.
He was totally surprised but very quietly said “Thank you'' and just as shyly as he had asked me he shyly accepted the cap and walked back to his parents.
“As soon as he reached his parents, I saw him punch the air as if he had just scored a goal in the World Cup final. It was a great moment and it made me realise how spontaneous acts and gifts can mean so much more than expensive pre-planned ones.''
Happiness is to be shared
For Pia Kapoor, mother of a two-year-old girl, a personal trauma spurred her and her husband to help those who are less privileged. The life-changing experience occurred during her first pregnancy. “A first general check-up with a specialist doctor revealed that the foetus had a rare genetic disorder and would not survive the full term of the pregnancy.'' Following the advice of the doctors, the pregnancy
was terminated.
“All tests confirmed that the genetic disorder had little or no chance of recurring. But 11 weeks into my second pregnancy, I was informed during a prelim diagnosis that all may not
be well.
“I spent the next 2 weeks in fear waiting for the reports of the next scan. Fortunately, it turned out that
the prelim diagnosis was incorrect. Subequently, the rest of the pregnancy went well and on January 28, 2007,
I gave birth to our lovely daughter Akaisha.
“We have never been happier. She is the best thing to have happened to us.
“This trauma and the eventual happiness strengthened our belief in God and my husband and I pledged that for the rest of our lives we would contribute annually to The Blind School in New Delhi, India. We chose this place because it is an excellent organisation which helps the visually challenged earn a regular income.
“If we cannot give someone the gift of sight, we can at least make their lives more bearable. I feel blessed for
all that we have been given in this life, especially our daughter, and in whatever way we can we would like to give back to society.''
Shveta Verma is a Dubai-based freelancer
