The spirit of giving
By zandi458
@zandi458 (28102)
Malaysia
December 18, 2009 11:53am CST
Christmas is in the air now and if there's one good time for you to review your giving ability, it is now. Reflect and ponder. How often and how easily do you respond to someone who needs your help? Do you think only of personal gain when you choose to give? Do you buy expensive presents in order to camouflage the lack of the true giving spirit in you? Do you choose presents with thought of the person to whom you are giving them to or are you just fulfilling an obligation? Do you even give anything at all? Charity begins at home and to me there is no home more poignant than the one we house our hearts. "Home" as the saying goes is "where the heart is". This is so true that I cannot speak enough. When your heart is in the right place, you will always feel at home. Even to forgive and move forward in life you need to have your heart intact, and a mind which is in tune with the spirit of giving.
Till today, I encourage the questioning ways of people whom I have met and known and till today, I know this. For every single time, someone has 'given', I take it. Except for bribes and flattery, I have always appreciated what has been given to me - intelligence, family, the love of others, the gifts from friends, and my bouts of good health. I hope you do to.
5 people like this
15 responses
@savypat (20216)
• United States
18 Dec 09
I try to give every day. Giving means anything I do for another that costs me time, effort, money or emotion. Of these money is the easiest one to give, the others are much more costly to me. I also receive all these gifts each day from many different sources and they are invaluable to me.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169450)
• United States
19 Dec 09
Giving and receiving are a complete circle. I find that even people that we view as having nothing have something to give, if it is a smile, or a word or holding a door open. It is up to us to allow others to give to us and receive their gifts graciously.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
18 Dec 09
Wow, that's a lot of questions.
For my children, I find out what they want. They don't always get everything they want, but they get at least some of them.
For my dad, step-mom and mother-in-law, they don't want a lot of "things" at their age. I usually give them food items or restaurant gift certificates or something.
For my sister's family, I usually find out what my nephew is into and wing it for her and her husband.
For my husband, well I know what he likes....
As for somebody who needs help, well a friend's house just burned down. Another friend who has NOTHING sent him her last $20 to help. I figured it was the least I could do to help out too, so I sent him a check also. Hopefully his family will be able to have some kind of a Christmas.
2 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
20 Dec 09
WEll we have told every one that we are just buying for the kids thats my grandson and grand daughter but found I have a present under my sons tree and I told him was just for kids and he said deal with it lolololol
This year was really short on money thats why just teh kids.
But we have extra things to wrap up for the just in cases lol.
I love to recieve but I love to give better!
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
22 Dec 09
Okay... Okay... I confess. I never like giving presents. Neither do I like receiving them much as well. Cos with each present received, if it is not from a loved one, there is the obligation of returning the gift.
So here is to answer your list of questions.
I do help people whenever I can if it is within my means.
Nope, at least not most of the time.
Nope, if I can afford an expensive gift, it would be something I would spurge on for my wife.
Yes, I do put some thoughts into getting a present, especially if I know the person. But most times, it is out of obligations that I have to select a gift. And this applies only during christmas time.
I do give. And when I do, I am usually very generous.
And like you, except fro bribes and flattery, I have always appreciated all that has been given to me. Especially if the gifts are from love ones. I am truly thankful for what I have and what I can offer to the people whom I love and who love me as well.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
22 Dec 09
Very well said. I appreciate that behind every negative strike a positive tune to your words. I believe that it is more blessed in giving than receiving. Gifts can be in any form and not necessarily be in material form. A smile can be a gift and even love can be a gift we shower to the one and only person that we truly love.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
19 Dec 09
hI ZANDI, I enjoyed your discussion. I have always felt like i was a giving person & have always enjoyed doing things for people. I can't do as much as i use to but will if i can. U are so right home is where the heart is. I had rather be at home as any place i could go. I buy gifts for people because i want to not because i feel obligated to anyone. I don't buy expensive gifts because i can't afford to but wish i could. I have given a couple of friends things that i had canned this year, pickles, jams etc. i do hope they were proud to get them.I would like a gift like that. Of course i have spent too much on my grandchildren but they are special to me. I hope u have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS & hope santa is good to u.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
19 Dec 09
Hi Lady, it is this gift of my writing that I am happy to share with everyone here especially when it is appreciated. Thanks for your appreciation. You should not be unduly worried of giving inexpensive gifts as it is from your big heart that allows you to present your gifts.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
19 Dec 09
THANKS ZANDI, for the kind words. U certainly give a gift w/your writings. Hope u are gaving a happy day.
1 person likes this
@alottodo (3056)
• Australia
22 Dec 09
Hi zandi, I welcome my gifts with all my heart I Am so lucky to have great friends, a great family and good health, no money can buy those things! my parents always said Charity begins at home and that is what we do today to us Christmas is open day everyone is welcome we have people from oversea whom have no family here so they are welcome to celebrate with us, some speak very little English but who cares! you only need a smile to make someone welcome.
I tell you zandi I give out a lot too, my time, love,companionship, a shoulder to lean on, and sometimes I get tired too! Yesterday my youngest [ my baby] daugther and I put up the Christmas tree! and she said is was a bonding time! and I said we have been bonding for 31 years! and she said is never to late to bond some more can you believe that?Have a great Christmas! and a wonderful 2010!
@riyasam (16556)
• India
19 Dec 09
i do agree!!!The true spirit of Christmas is generosity. Not the generosity of material gifts and presents, but the generosity of your own loving presence. Give more of your own loving presence and less of the token presents this year. Yes, there is pleasure in enjoying material gifts, but what is remembered, what lasts, is the presence of the loving soul giving love generously and unconditionally to another @GardenGerty (169450)
• United States
19 Dec 09
A gift is only a gift at the time it is accepted. I enjoy thinking of personal gifts to give that reflect the person who is receiving from me. I enjoy giving, it makes me feel wealthy to be able to share something, even a little thing, with others.
1 person likes this
@littleowl (7157)
•
18 Dec 09
Hi Zandi,
Iagree with every word you say..home is with our home and where the heart is but also our friends and relatives are part of our hearts and perhaps even our homes. When you care for your friends and relatives your heart should be also with them so when giving presents should be part of thinking of the person you give to. I am always thankful for all the love, health,family and friends I have and what they give to me..it is their love and thoughtfulness that has been put into gifts I receive from them and even if they cannot afford that is their love and the person whom mean more for these things I am grateful, so yes when giving to them I always think of them and their needs.
LoLo
Iagree with every word you say..home is with our home and where the heart is but also our friends and relatives are part of our hearts and perhaps even our homes. When you care for your friends and relatives your heart should be also with them so when giving presents should be part of thinking of the person you give to. I am always thankful for all the love, health,family and friends I have and what they give to me..it is their love and thoughtfulness that has been put into gifts I receive from them and even if they cannot afford that is their love and the person whom mean more for these things I am grateful, so yes when giving to them I always think of them and their needs.
LoLo @Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Dec 09
hi zandi I always love any gift given to me as it comes from the heart of other people and thats what is precious. Ihave l ittle money this christmas so am giving only to my son. but it can still be a great Christmas even without fancy gifts.as for charity by the time my social security and SSI checks come to Gold crest and they take out for monthly rent and food I have only $125 dollars to pay for anything and for my personal needs.so I give only to my son and a few friends. I help anyone I can at any time but not with money as I have very little.
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
20 Dec 09
Hey zandi! I don't wait for a special time to give of myself!
I don't need to wait for a holiday to give someone something.
That is just not right. If I see someone who is in need of my
help for any reason I am there for them! I have helped neighbors
carry luggage to their apartment who were in worse physical health
then I am just because! I have always been the type of person who
if I see someone in need of something that I can give I just
step in without hesitation or thought! My neighbor passed away
a few weeks ago and his family needed me to let the movers inside
his apartment because they were held up in traffic and had trouble
getting there and knew I had the key to the apartment! I was
in the middle of cooking dinner, but that didn't stop me, even
though my dinner was kind of ruined! I ran straight upstairs
and even spent the rest of the evening helping his family pack
up his belongings, which broke my heart! But, you know what zandi,
I made some special friends who I am now in touch with and I can
be apart of their family to remember my friend Howie! What more
could one ask for! So, the truth is giving is so much better
than receiving and I am living proof!
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
19 Dec 09
I love giving especially at Christmas time. I buy gifts for my daughter on behalf on Santa and whenever I choose presents for her I get so excited and I can’t wait to see her happy face when she opens them! It is the same with my friends and my sister. I like to put a lot of thought into the gifts I choose. My parents, on the hand, only worry about the value of the present and my mother has admitted she hates Christmas shopping and would rather not bother and just give us cash which is typical of my family, if there is a problem it is generally ‘fixed’ with money or food!
1 person likes this
@kawalnarang (1095)
• Trinidad And Tobago
19 Dec 09
U are blessed,, I wish I could be so clean hearted
I am no saint and my heart needs a lot of cleansing. 
@krystalheart (842)
• Philippines
19 Dec 09
Hi there very well said. The spirit of giving is not about the material things on earth that you can buy anywhere, instead it is in the heart of the giver. Like what a quotation state that "it is only in the heart that one can see, what is essential is invisible to the eye". May everyone realized that giving should not be based on the priced but how it is given by the giver whole heartedly.
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
8 Jan 10
Hello my friend zandi458 Ji,
Well, I may feel better to help in exchange of some thing, but my hubby is always ready to help the needy on first call. He will come out openly to everyone, and due to this he suffers. But he takes it in most sporty spirit. Let's help each other to get more satisfaction in our life.
May God bless You and have a great time.
