An extract from "An Invitation to Think".

We are taught to strive for more, better, bigger, yet nothing is guaranteed to make us happy. If it doesn’t bring you joy, you don’t need it. Just as only you can know what is important in your life, so you cannot know what another person needs. Charity is all very well, but sometimes it can strip away a person’s dignity and rob him of his free will. This can lead to a lack of motivation and self-esteem. It is better to help with something specific when asked than to impose your idea of kindness on another. You are not responsible for any other human soul. Your responsibility is to be the best person you can and to use and develop the talents and abilities you have for the betterment of all. While it may sometimes be difficult to resist trying to control the lives of others, particularly when you feel you know the right way to do something, it is important to allow them to make their own decisions and their own mistakes in matters that concern themselves, otherwise they will have no opportunity to learn from their decisions. To give advice is just that – a guideline from your own experience, which may not be applicable in another situation. Your greatest gift to those who are dependent on you is to make them independent, giving them confidence to make their own mistakes without being judged by you.