Been reflecting on the concept of “giving.”
Since we started our trip, this has been one of the trickiest parts of our journey.
When, where, how, to give?
In the US there is a pretty strict tipping culture that doesn’t exist almost anywhere else… So in almost every city we’ve been to, Nick & I ask, “Do we need to add tip?”
We’ve had conversations and discussions with people from other countries on the beauty and ugly of tipping. Results are inconclusive but leaning towards “it shouldn’t be necessary.”
In all major cities we’ve visited we see children, refugees, homeless people — all needing money.
Is it ever wrong to give? Is it ever right?
I don’t have answers. (If you do — please comment below)
In our society today, the rockstars of giving are what we call Philanthropists. They are billionaires and millionaires who gave/is giving/will give a part (or all) of their wealth to good causes. We applaud and admire them for their generosity and no doubt they deserve the spotlight for all their work and outreach.
But I think we are short-changing (pun intended) 99 % of the population by always focusing on the generous extravagance of the 1%.
In the last few years I’ve read two controversial books from 2 controversial figures that shifted (and continues to shift) my perspective on giving:
1. Thoreau, Walden and On the Duty of Civil Disobedience:
‘’… I would not subtract any thing from the praise that is due to philanthropy, but merely demand justice for all who by their lives and works are a blessing to mankind…”
Grabbing a very short quote from a pretty intense paragraph written on 1854. The pdf is online if you’re interested in reading more because there is waay more…. but this opened my eyes to a kind of giving that we as a society often overlook in pursuit of a more material form of giving.
Here’s my take. Your life is your biggest gift to the world. Who you are and what you are becoming is the best form of gift you could ever give to anyone. It’s not anything you’ve acquired or possesed. It’s just you, that love already in you. So live your life as only you can live it — be generous with your personal, mental, emotional, spiritual development and growth …. and you will see that outweigh almost any physical thing you can give. Because when we are filled from the inside there’s no way we can keep it to ourselves. Love always overflows.
2. Jesus, Book of Luke:
“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.””
This always kicks me in the stomach and wakes me up. We’ve been out here for more than 6 months and it won’t be a surprise to anyone if I said there’s a lot of poverty in the world.
All kinds of poor. Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual.
But you know what else exists with that poverty? A generosity so unbelievable it’s nothing short of a miracle. The ones with the least are almost always the most generous. They extend a smile, a kind word, a laugh, an answer, a question.
The situation out here in the world is not perfect, so much needs to be done to get us to a better place, to a more peaceful world.
But out here where poverty abounds, generosity also overflows. Not in millions or billions of cash but in the very subtle equilibrium that speaks of millions and billions of regular people who everyday tries to just live their life.
In mainstream media so much of this generosity goes unseen and unheard. Maybe that’s the beauty of it. It is out there though.
I see that widow that Jesus saw everywhere I go.
I really need to spend a post celebrating that kind of generosity — the generosity of the 99% of people: most feeling like they do not have enough but give and live anyway in abundance of love. I feel in our trip that this was the kind of generosity that really makes a difference and fills me with faith & hope.
Thank you, my fellow human.
In the midst of what we see as lack exists an abundance way beyond anything I can ever explain.
Let’s never forget to celebrate and applaud the most amazing of human gifts — our ability to share ourselves and our love to each other.
P.S. The holidays are coming and often it is a time for gift-giving. Please don’t forget — you are the greatest gift you can give.
Love and peace fluffy cuddly corny friends. ?????♥️
