The Richest Gift

Thought I'd share with you this lovely story.

Years ago I was trekking in the Himalayas and had made the mistake of converting a large amount of cash into the local currency.

As I progressed throughout the villages of the Annapurnas, it soon became apparent that the people were too poor to afford even the simplest local crafts supplies they would need to fashion. They had nothing.

This meant that I had this ridiculous wad of cash in my pack and was a walking millionaire compared to the local people. I grew to hate the stuff and it was such an embarrassment to have it in my possesson amidst such need. This led to a remarkable experience that affected me deeply and its memory has never left me.

On this particular day I had become isolated from my fellow trekkers and found myself in a vast valley. As I made ​​my way down, I noticed a young girl of some 13 tending sheep. Like so many of the children of the amazing Nepalese people, she was very beautiful.

As I drew level with her, she suddenly rushed over to me and, without a word, handed me a flower. Our eyes met for a tiny moment and then she ran away.

The spirit in this angelic child had responded to something she saw in me and her first thought was to find something to give. From the depths of her poverty, there was nothing she had - other than a single flower.

The weight of my cash was never heavier than this at the moment and I had just received one of the richest gifts that I have ever had in my life.

~ David Heycock ~