Important lessons on generosity from a lovely six year old.

“We make a living by what we get,
We make a life by what we give.”
- Winston Churchill

My six year old friend and cute neighbour,
Asked me recently
"Would you like to borrow
Something that is mine"?

Immediately my mind said "no"
(What on earth would she own,
That I would like?)
But I stopped myself in my tracks.
Gosh, I thought, that is kind.
She offers me to share something
That is precious to her.
She wants me to enjoy it.

So I replied
"Gosh you are kind,
Yes please, what do you have
That you'd like to lend me?"

Guess what I was allowed to borrow?
Her brand new fluffy dog called Sia.

Sia was allowed a sleep-over
With me and my husband.

Why am I telling you this?
This gesture of my six year old friend
Made me realise
That true generosity
Is not just about giving stuff away
That we no longer need.
It's about sharing what's precious.

Let's train our mind
In generosity
According to these three steps:
Strangers, those we love & enemies!

“Aw, I'm so deeply touched by this. Thank you very much for sharing!”

Anahi

“Simply beautiful and another well received timely reminder from you.”

Sharon

We start by giving away what
We no longer need to strangers:
Bags of clothes to charity,
Toys on a Facebook give-away page
Even the old sink from the renovation,
Let's mention it on a free-cycle initiative
And someone will collect it happily.

When giving what we no longer need
Comes to us easily,
Let's learn to give away what is precious,
To someone we deeply love:
Our wedding dress re-purposed
To our grandchild's Christening.
The best piece of the pie
To our hard-working partner.

When our mind get's used to this,
We keep on expanding our generosity:
Let's give away what we love
To people we don't like at all.
Our share of the inheritance,
To that uncle who treated us badly.
Our kidney to the sister
We haven't seen for twenty years.

Why, you might think?
What is the aim of
Letting go of what we want to keep,
To those who consider an 'enemy'?
Plenty, when reflecting deeply.
But for now, let's stick with
The wonderful potential to
Overcome evil with good.

And look, one more lovely memory.
Sia and I had breakfast together,
Before I safely returned her to my friend:

"When it's our time
To leave this earth,
We cannot take with us
What we have received,
Only what we have given."
- St. Francis of Assisi

Lockdown creates financial concern,
Hunger and poverty for many
All over this planet, near and far.
Let us share, where we can.


With love,
Karin ❤️

PS
Words on generosity
Inspired by the Buddhist course
By Geshe Tenzin Namdak
I attended online this weekend.