The Story of Mark. The Heart of Giving

Mark had always believed that money was the most important thing.
He grew up in a family that constantly struggled to make ends meet, and early on he made a vow:
“I will never be poor.”

And he kept his promise.

He worked without rest, closed deals, saved, invested.
Soon he had an apartment in the city center, a luxury car, a collection of watches.
He often told himself: “I did it. I made it out.”

But at night, Mark would wake with a strange emptiness.
He sat in his elegant living room, surrounded by expensive furniture, and whispered to himself:
“What is all this for? What does it mean?”

He remembered the thrill of his first victories, but the taste had grown dull.
New purchases brought excitement for a day, maybe a week — and then the emptiness returned.

One late evening, walking home, he noticed an old man standing outside a store.
Bent over, wearing a worn-out coat, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.
In front of him was a plastic cup, almost empty.

Mark walked past, as he usually did.
But something in him shifted.
He turned back, pulled out a large bill from his wallet, and placed it in the cup.

The old man looked up.
There was no expected gratitude in his eyes.
Instead, there was something else — a light, quiet, almost like forgiveness.

And suddenly, Mark’s chest tightened.
It felt as if a heavy weight had fallen off his shoulders.
For the first time in years, he had done something not for gain — but for life itself.

From that day, things began to change.
He started giving — first in small ways: buying food for those in need, donating to an animal shelter, paying for his neighbor’s medicine.
And slowly he realized: it wasn’t about the money.
It was about the heart.

Every time he gave, he came alive.
He saw hope light up in other people’s eyes —
and in that reflection, his own eyes began to shine too.

One evening in a café, he found a book someone had left behind.
On the very first page were the words:

“In the beginning there was Light, and Light became a Brand.
Those who carry it are Lumarii.”

Mark closed his eyes.
And for the first time in many years, he smiled with sincerity.

He understood: wealth is not what you keep.
Wealth is what you give away.

And softly, almost like a prayer, he whispered to himself:
“I am ready to be Lumarii.
I want to give.”