Last week I received two wedding invitations – it seems that a lot of my friends are getting married this year. So far I know of 4 friends getting married in 2007, in locations as exotic as India, the Bahamas – and of course London 🙂

Nowadays, with the advent of the internet etc, it is so much easier to get wedding gifts and find exactly what the couple have asked for, so as to set them up for their new life. One of my friends was very coy and shy about not really wanting any gifts but I explained how this was the one chance her friends have to show their love and appreciation. A gift was also a way of marking and celebrating her special day.

However, one of the wedding invitations I received this week simply took my breathe away.

My friend and her fiancé have decided that rather than wedding gifts for themselves, they will instead collect cash donations for a charitable cause – Nirvana School:-)

The wedding invitation simply states:-

“Kindly no boxed gifts please. We will use your contributions to sponsor scholarships at www.nirvanaschool.org“

How cool, noble and generous is that!

She explained to me that already have so much and enough for themselves. So they want to mark their special day by doing something for those more in need and those not as blessed materially.

It really is so true – here in the Western world we all have so much and yet we continue to accumulate more and more material things.

“There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed” – Gandhi

So next time you are about to purchase some more material goods, ask if you really do need them. Of course, this doesn’t mean depriving yourself or being needlessly frugal, it is all simply about being sensible.

Isn’t it heartening to know that at my friend’s forthcoming wedding in June, whilst celebrating her happy day, we will all also be bringing happiness to the Nirvana children in India 🙂