*By Dr Devan
The law of reciprocity is the hidden rhythm of the universe. Every thought, word, and act reverberates back to its source. When you take, you create an emptiness that life rushes to balance — often by taking back from you. When you give, you generate energy, goodwill, and movement — and the universe responds with abundance.
This principle is not religious dogma or poetic sentiment; it is a law of equilibrium, operating silently in every sphere of human existence — personal, professional, and cosmic.
The Principle of Taking: The Path to Loss
“Take and it will be taken from you” is a warning against greed, manipulation, and exploitation. It is not about healthy receiving, but about selfish accumulation at the expense of others.
1. The Businessman Who Took Too Much
There once was a powerful industrialist who built his empire by underpaying workers and evading taxes. For a while, he seemed invincible — wealthy, influential, admired. But slowly, his empire began to rot from within. Employees grew resentful, customers lost trust, and the government turned its eye toward him. Within years, he lost everything.
Lesson: Taking without giving back corrodes the foundation of success. The same system that rewards you will eventually reclaim what you extracted unfairly.
2. The Friend Who Always Takes
We all know someone who only calls when they need something — money, help, or attention. Initially, people oblige, but over time they start avoiding that person. The friend’s world shrinks. The relationships dry up.
Lesson: When you constantly take emotional energy from others without replenishing it, you end up alone.
3. Nature’s Reminder: The Overused Soil
When a farmer keeps extracting crops without allowing the soil to rest or replenish nutrients, the land becomes barren. Nature takes back her fertility.
Lesson: Even the earth abides by the same law — take too much without giving, and depletion is inevitable.
The Principle of Giving: The Path to Abundance
“Give and it will be given back to you... abundantly.” The universe multiplies what you release with good intent. The act of giving creates an invisible current of goodwill that finds its way back to you through unexpected channels.
1. The Story of Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men in history, dedicated the last years of his life to philanthropy. He funded over 2,500 public libraries, educational institutions, and foundations. Though he gave away 90% of his fortune, his legacy and name continue to flourish over a century later.
Lesson: Money given for good causes multiplies in the form of respect, remembrance, and impact — wealth beyond currency.
2. The Teacher Who Gave Knowledge
A humble teacher in a small village taught his students not just the syllabus, but values, kindness, and curiosity. Years later, one of his students became a successful entrepreneur and built a new school in the teacher’s honor, funding education for hundreds.
Lesson: Knowledge shared never diminishes; it expands, returning to enrich the giver.
3. The Samaritan Effect
In a busy city, a man once stopped to help a stranger with a flat tire on a rainy evening. He asked for nothing. Months later, he applied for a new job — and during the interview, he recognized the man he had helped as the hiring manager. He got the position instantly.
Lesson: Every act of kindness plants a seed in the soil of destiny.
4. Nature’s Example: The Flowing River
A river gives constantly — to plants, to animals, to humans. In giving, it stays pure and alive. When it is dammed or hoarded, stagnation begins, and the water turns foul.
Lesson: The more freely you give, the fresher and fuller your life remains.
The Universal Law of Balance
Everything in existence strives for balance — not just in physics or ecology, but in human conduct. Energy taken unjustly will find a way to escape you; energy given sincerely will find its way back multiplied.
In Economics:
Markets reward producers who offer genuine value. Those who cheat, inflate prices, or exploit customers may profit temporarily, but eventually lose trust — and trust is the true currency of prosperity.
In Relationships:
Love thrives when both partners give — affection, time, respect. When one starts taking more, imbalance sets in. Resentment replaces warmth. Relationships decay when reciprocity dies.
In Personal Growth:
Those who mentor others, share ideas, and celebrate others’ success grow faster themselves. Giving creates expansion — intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Psychology of Giving
Science confirms what wisdom always knew: giving benefits the giver.
Studies at Harvard and Stanford show that acts of kindness release endorphins and serotonin — the “happiness hormones.”
Neuroscientists call it the “helper’s high.” Giving actually rewires the brain for positivity and resilience.
Business research demonstrates that organizations promoting generosity and collaboration outperform those built on fear and competition.
When you give, you shift from a mindset of scarcity (“I might lose”) to one of abundance (“I have more than enough to share”). That shift alone attracts success and peace.
How to Practice This Law in Daily Life
Give appreciation: A sincere compliment can brighten a day and strengthen bonds.
Give knowledge: Share what you know freely — the more you teach, the more you master.
Give time: Listen without distraction. Time is the rarest and most valuable gift.
Give forgiveness: Letting go of resentment liberates you more than the other person.
Give resources wisely: Support causes, people, and projects that uplift. Even a small contribution counts.
Give gratitude: Express thanks daily — to life, people, and even challenges. Gratitude amplifies blessings.
The Higher Truth
What you hold tightly with fear, you lose. What you release with faith, returns multiplied.
History, nature, and human experience all affirm this one pattern: the hand that gives never remains empty.
When you give — whether it’s love, kindness, money, or wisdom — you are acting in harmony with the universe’s flow. When you take selfishly, you stand in its way, and the current will sweep away what you tried to hoard.
The universe is not random. It mirrors your intention.
Give joy, and joy returns.
Give love, and love expands.
Give hope, and hope finds its way back to you.
Because that’s how the universe functions — in perfect, poetic justice.
*Dr Devan is a Mangaluru-based ENT specialist and author.
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