What We Give is Always What We Are - By Fatima Barakat

Written By: Fatima Barakat

Category: Essay

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the compelling essay "What We Give is Always What We Are," Fatima Barakat delves into the complex nature of generosity and self-discovery. Submitted as part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this piece invites readers to reflect on the true essence of giving beyond the expectation of reciprocation. Fatima's essay navigates the nuances of kindness, exploring how our actions reveal our innermost values and beliefs.

About the Work

Fatima Barakat's essay is a profound exploration of the human tendency to view kindness as a transaction. Through eloquent prose, she challenges this notion, advocating for giving as a reflection of one's character rather than a means to an end. The work is rich with imagery and philosophical musings, prompting readers to consider the enduring impact of selfless acts and the boundaries necessary to maintain one's dignity and well-being.

What We Give is Always What We Are

Original Submission by Fatima Barakat

There is a ridiculous xpectation built into the way people give.

Give kindness, and kindness will find its way back to you. Give love, and you will be loved in return. Be there for someone, and they will be there when you need them. It is a comforting yet strange approach at giving, because it makes goodness feel like a transaction with a guaranteed reward.

But life does not keep track like a score board.

Sometimes someone receives your kindness and gives you nothing in return. Sometimes the person you would answer at two in the morning does not answer when you need them. Sometimes love is offered sincerely and comes back altered, diminished, or not at all. You can give someone your time, patience, loyalty, and understanding and still discover that they were never going to give you the same things. That can be painful, however, it can also teach you something vital.

What another person gives back tells you who they are. What you continue to give tells you who you are.

There is a difference between kindness and keeping score. The moment kindness becomes a list of things someone owes you, it stops being kindness and starts becoming a transaction. That does not mean anyone should endlessly give to people who take advantage of them. Boundaries matter. Walking away matters. Protecting yourself matters. But there is still something powerful about knowing that another person’s inability to return what you gave does not have to change the kind of person you choose to be.

A person who gives forgiveness reveals something about themselves, even when forgiveness is not returned with an apology. A person who stays loyal during someone else’s difficult season reveals something about themselves, even when that loyalty is eventually forgotten. A person who chooses gentleness when they have every reason to become bitter reveals something about themselves that no one else can take away.

The world does not always reward goodness immediately. Sometimes it does not reward it at all. That does not make goodness worthless.

Think about how many acts of kindness disappear almost as soon as they happen. Someone holds a door open. Someone checks whether a friend got home safely. Someone remembers a small detail from a conversation months ago. Someone sits beside a person who would otherwise be alone. None of these things guarantee anything in return. They simply make a moment lighter for someone else.

And maybe that is enough.

There is something precious about giving without knowing whether the gesture will ever circle back. A seed does not know who will eventually sit beneath its shade. A teacher may never know which sentence a student will remember years later. A person may never realize that the five minutes they spent listening to someone changed the direction of that person’s entire day.

Not everything we give returns to us in the same form. Sometimes it returns through someone else.

A kindness offered to one person may make them kinder to another. A moment of patience may prevent someone from carrying anger into the next conversation. A friend who once felt supported may eventually become the person who supports someone else. The original act may disappear from the story, but its effect can continue travelling long after the giver has forgotten it. Still, there is a limit to how much a person should give away.

Giving does not mean emptying yourself until there is nothing left. Loving someone does not require abandoning yourself. Being generous does not mean allowing people to repeatedly take without consideration. There is dignity in knowing when to step back. Sometimes the most honest thing you can give someone is distance.

Even that says something about who you are.

Because everything we give carries a little piece of us with it. Our patience reflects what we value. Our loyalty reflects what we believe relationships deserve. Our compassion reflects how we want the world to feel around us. Even the way we leave people can reveal the person we became while we were there.

One day, people may forget exactly what was said. They may forget the favors, the conversations, the small sacrifices. They may never realize how much thought went into something you did for them.

But that does not erase the meaning of having given it. The world may not return everything you offer. But everything you give reveals something about the person who offered it.

And what you give is always, in some way, what you are.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, is a prestigious platform celebrating the art of written expression. It welcomes participants from around the world to share their unique voices and perspectives, fostering a global community of writers. This competition highlights the power of words to inspire, challenge, and connect individuals across diverse cultures and experiences.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Fatima Barakat for her insightful contribution, "What We Give is Always What We Are," to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her essay offers a thoughtful reflection on the nature of giving and the profound ways it shapes our identity. We appreciate her participation and look forward to seeing the impact of her words resonate with readers worldwide.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.