Loving. Caring. Sharing.
By: Kimi Catahan
Tags: YouTube, Giving

For those unaware, the Youtube channel, Grandpa Kitchen, was established by Narayana Reddy from Telengana, India. His videos involved large portions of food prepared by him (and later on, his grandsons) that would then be delivered to the poor and orphaned. Everything he prepared was really in large portions so no, it’s not clickbait.

As a person who has her heart hooked in charity work, I’ve become an instant fan. Since then, I’ve been regularly watching his videos — especially when I lose faith in the common good. His videos garnered millions of likes and comments; his fame rose exponentially, but even then, he remained humble. He continued to prepare food the way he’s familiar with, the way we all fell in love with. You would be able to see his heart sewn upon his sleeve in every video. I think that’s an additional charm that many philanthropists miss out on: the heart of doing good.

Unfortunately, in late 2019, his journey came to an end. While it was emotional for many of his devoted followers, I could only imagine the pain that his own family went through during that trying time. There is no doubt that he was (and still is) loved.

Though his time with us came to a halt, his legacy lives on. His other family members continue his initiative to serve others. Indeed, all is well when your own family commemorate you by acting upon your initiative.

I watch their videos often, but there are a few things I’ve learned when I watch them in one sitting (as opposed to watching each video upon release).

Alright, before I head on to my list, I just want to point out that I did not watch all videos in one sitting. I’m not an expert in binge-watching.

Here are a few things I’ve picked up on, and hopefully something we could all manifest:

1. Food is better with company.

Photo by Larm Rmah on Unsplash

I think we’ve been told about this line at least once in our lives. No matter the culture and religion, food truly is better when shared. Ironically, I realize this as I munch down on my favorite stack of crisps while watching Grandpa Kitchen. Nothing beats the smiles and stories you share with other people. It’s those little moments, those gleeful glances that you chance upon from others that make you warmer inside. It provides another layer of comfort to your already-comfort food. With good company, any food is good.

2. Philanthropy — it’s not just for the rich.

Growing up in a third-world country, people living on the streets is not a rare sight. It’s a heartbreak most of us are used to. The thin line that hinders us from crossing the sympathy block over to empathy (where we could actually do good) is the lack of resources we have. But video after video, Reddy proved that you can serve others without having to empty your pocket.

In the channel’s video intro, viewers are greeted with Reddy’s famous line: Loving, caring, sharing. This is my family. He serves the poor and the orphaned with all of his heart; everything that he has, he shares. It continues to astonish me that someone from one of the poorest countries in South Asia can have the courage to share what little rich they have.

I still yearn for the era where we hold our government officials accountable for the improper asset allocation across different states and provinces. But until then, I know that I could do more than just wait for my time to serve. I’m just fresh into my twenties, still a college student — I have a long way to go before I get to be an independent, self-sustaining adult that would be able to provide for myself and others. Despite this, I know I could do more today. I don’t need to wait for years to connect to those in need, and build a relationship in which I could help them live better lives.

3. Don’t be afraid to do good because you fear exploitation.

The fear of being abused, mistreated, and tricked — might be a trauma response. You might be afraid to let down your walls, to trust people, to give more than you receive because you’ve been hurt in some way before. I know that’s sh*t, and I won’t try to make you forget that. I’m not here to psychoanalyze you. Rather, I want to help you realize that believing in the good in the world might help you a bit.

It’s hard to trust in the good after a traumatic experience, but believe me, you will not lose anything in doing good for others. We will not always be rewarded as we should be, but that’s okay. The good will always outpower (and outnumber) the bad in this world. Your acts of kindness will allow you to grow out of the shell you’ve holed yourself in. Continue to do good, even if it might feel uncomfortable sometimes, it’s worth it.

Photo by Aravind Kumar on Unsplash

All these, I learned from binge-watching Grandpa Kitchen for just a day. Who knew there were perks in binge-watching, right? I’m pretty sure no one from the channel expected that Reddy would be able to capture the hearts of millions, but here we are, more than a year after his passing, still talking about his amazing life. This is the good in the world that you might feel is too good to be true.

But dare to open your eyes and heart. Good is everywhere. After all, despite our differences, we all still have the same goal: to live a good life. Let’s stop drawing walls against each other and start living good lives, together.