From The Taker to The Giver

Many compare life to a journey, a meandering path full of unanticipated turns and twists. There are times of great joy and times of great grief on this trip, and each shapes our perspective of the world and our place in it.

Ko Kyaw Kha, a 70-year-old man, is contemplating life’s journey while waiting patiently in an office for the formalities involved in registering a bond and giving his adopted son ownership of his belongings.

This ordinary moment is interrupted by a time travel that takes place thirty-five years ago in that exact same office, but with drastically different circumstances and goals.

When Ko Kyaw Kha was younger, he was an ambitious man who was fully committed to pursuing a career in township-level government service.

Around this time, he was in a similar office for a very different reason: to file a bond for some property that his aunt had given him more than ten years earlier.

The pursuit of financial prosperity and elevating his own standing in society occupied all of his attention at that point in his life.

However, in his quest for self-interest, he failed to see the value of formal documentation—a crucial omission that would ultimately come back to haunt him.

What at the time seemed to be only an administrative formality—the unregistered bond—would turn out to be a significant roadblock when he was involved in a court battle.

This unanticipated situation was a clear reminder of the intrinsic value of official records when it comes to property ownership and legal rights.

Ko Kyaw Kha had a deep understanding of the value of effort and forethought in protecting one’s possessions and ensuring their proper succession for future generations as a result of this event.

Ko Kyaw Kha finds comfort in the knowledge he has acquired from his past mistakes as he sits in the office and muses over the passage of time and the numerous experiences that have formed his life’s journey.

During this silent period of reflection, he acknowledges the ephemeral nature of material belongings and the timeless significance of life lessons acquired.

Ko Kyaw Kha is sitting in an office surrounded by paperwork and bureaucracy, and his function is very different from what it was when he was younger.

He is no longer the determined and aspirational young man who is constantly chasing after his own interests.

Rather, he sits as a representation of wisdom and maturity, getting ready to give his adopted kid his hard-earned possessions.

This is a major alteration that highlights how change and progress are inevitable in life’s journey—from accumulator to bestower.

Ko Kyaw Kha explores the deeper significance of these changes in priorities and perspective as he mulls over this significant metamorphosis.

He reflects that life is an ongoing cycle of development and adaptation in which our goals and values profoundly shift throughout time.

The pursuit of financial prosperity and personal achievement, which were formerly of utmost significance, are now subordinated to the overarching goal of providing a safe and prosperous future for his cherished family.

Every year that goes by, time has given Ko Kyaw Kha a deep feeling of appreciation and humility.

He now realizes that lasting relationships and the legacy we leave behind are what truly provide us true fulfillment instead of the amassing of material goods.

He is consciously investing in something considerably more valuable than simple monetary wealth when he decides to transfer his property to his adopted son: the continuation of familial bonds and the generational love and support.

By giving up his belongings, Ko Kyaw Kha is securing his successors’ financial future as well as establishing his permanent influence in their lives.

He hopes to teach a timeless lesson on the value of compassion, morality, and family unity through this deed of kindness and foresight.

Ko Kyaw Kha finds comfort in the thought that his legacy would live on long after his death, serving as a tribute to the eternal force of love and kinship, as he sits in the office, pen-positioned to sign the required forms.

With his son, his lawyer, and a few well-wishers as his support system, Ko Kyaw Kha is surrounded by a climate of patience and resiliency that is evident.

It is vital to include his admirers here, by the way. The attorney was once his student. The other two backers, an electronics specialist and a doctor, were also his former students and would sign the bond that was going to be registered.

They were young people in the past who had little money to participate in social events, but they have since grown up and become trustworthy individuals for Ko Kyaw Kha.

When they reviewed the material he had given in his tuition classes, he could picture the scenes.

At that registration office, he also spotted the two women and two men who were also his former students. They greeted Ko Kyaw Kha and his company warmly and offered him seats as soon as they spotted them.

He’s determined to work his way through this maze-like process until the end, even in the face of unexpected setbacks and bureaucratic obstacles that could slow them down.

This event is a moving reminder of the critical roles that endurance and unity play in conquering life’s many obstacles.

Ko Kyaw Kha has gained priceless insights into the erratic nature of life via the furnace of his own experiences.

What used to seem like a straight path characterized by the need for material goods and social recognition has evolved into a more complex investigation of meaning and purpose.

He now understands that, despite the fact that the outward manifestations of success are subject to change, the fundamental beliefs and ideals that shape who he is continue to be unwavering, acting as steady compass points through the rough waters of life.

Ko Kyaw Kha finds himself finding comfort in the wider perspective that his voyage has given him as the minutes turn into hours and they wait for the relevant officer to arrive.

At this transitional point, he understands the transient nature of bureaucratic annoyances and temporal obstacles, realizing they are but brief episodes in the larger story of his life.

Every moment that passes and every apparently insignificant interaction adds to the rich tapestry of experiences that make up his singular existence, creating a story that is full of tenacity, resiliency, and unflinching determination.

Ko Kyaw Kha finds comfort in the thought that this moment is only a brief break in the vast symphony of his life throughout this drawn-out wait.

Equipped with the unflinching backing of his loved ones and strengthened by the lessons learned from hardship, he is unwavering in his resolve to overcome any hindrance that ventures to stand in his way.

He sees this as evidence of the human spirit’s tenacity and perseverance, which keeps us moving forward even in the face of the greatest obstacles in life.

During this protracted wait, Ko Kyaw Kha takes solace in the knowledge that this is but a fleeting interlude in the grand symphony of his life.

He is resolute in his drive to overcome any obstacle that dares to stand in his way because he has the unwavering support of his loved ones and is fortified by the lessons acquired from adversity.

This, in his opinion, is proof of the human spirit’s resiliency and fortitude, which enable us to go forward in the face of life’s worst challenges.

Ko Kyaw Kha realizes at this crucial juncture the lasting impact and inherent worth of familial ties. By giving his kid his fortune, he is not only leaving behind material possessions but also laying the groundwork for a family tree based on honesty, love, and common principles.

It is evidence of the enormous influence that people can have, across both place and time, on the lives of others they care about.

With every letter, Ko Kyaw Kha demonstrates his dedication to a legacy characterized by the boundless riches of family and familial love rather than by material prosperity.

With a heart full of fulfillment, he looks at the finished manuscript, understanding that his contributions to the world go well beyond material goods.

Because ultimately, what truly defines the measure of a life well lived is the quality of one’s connections and the impact of one’s actions.

Overall, when Ko Kyaw Kha first entered that office, he was a taker—that is, he received his aunt’s goods.

But, when he returned there a second time, 35 years later, he discovered that he was a giver—that is, he would leave his holdings to his adopted son. Do lives follow the laws of nature? Ko Kyaw Kha let out a quiet sigh.