Africa, and particularly Nigeria, where I am a resident, however, has a different perspective as regards the expression of love for our immediate environment. Unfortunately, I cannot give a definite percentage, but I can attest to a significant number of parents who show love to strangers and non-relatives despite the lack and suffering of those that are closest to them. We would then ask, Where does charity begin from, outside or within?
As much as we want the world to view us as 'good' and 'perfect', we cannot please it. The world remains too large for us to please, and thus, there is a need to focus our limited love and charity on those that are closest to us, perhaps reaching out to those that can learn and appreciate the goodness within us and replicate it wherever they find themselves.
The concept of charity begins at home and also with those people that we can impact. As earlier stated, charity can be to friends or to our environment. My perception, however, aligns with charity beginning at home. My home is my friends and neighbors. My friends are the people I see most often. These people around me are those that can stand in the gap for me if there is a need (even though it is not mandatory). Our close people are those who have built up perceptions about us, not strangers who may forget our good needs. I am also a fan of doing good to strangers. I hold in high esteem a certain lawyer who never knew me yet went out of his way to make life easy for me. In fact, I was awed by how much someone was willing to go for even a stranger.
But then, not all charity remains appreciated, even though we do not ask for favors in return. Last year, I volunteered to donate blood for a man's father, even though I never knew both. The first time I met him a few days ago in a situation that required him to show consideration for an act to be resolved, the young man declined to be reasonable. I was at a loss, wondering if this was the same man to whom I volunteered to donate blood for his father, even though I had not met him. But then, the art of being good does not demand that we expect good from those we do good to.
Our love and charity should be given to everyone within reach without expecting anything back; however, priority should be given to those that are closest to us, as they have more tales to tell about us and the impacts or imprint we may have on their lives.
I hope our charity can spread like wildfire, like an act of random kindness.
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