Charity: What If We Give?

The Christmas celebration will not be complete without the traditional giving of gifts. As the festive atmosphere of the Christmas season mounts, the humankind's inclination to do acts of charity gets a boost. Any act of charity can connect us to other people.

The Christmas celebration will not be complete without the traditional giving of gifts. It is the seasonal gift giving that circulates the spirit of Christmas all around the world. As the song “What Can I Give You This Christmas?” plays in our mind, we carefully choose gifts to express our love for our family and friends and to show our appreciation for all those who have been part of our lives in big and small ways. As the festive atmosphere of the Christmas season mounts, the humankind's inclination to do acts of charity gets a boost. Any act of charity can connect us to other people – a smile of joy and gladness, a cheer for merrymaking and fun, a wish of good health and success, a loving kiss, a comforting hug, a pat on the back, a helping hand, a donation for a cause. When we do acts of charity, no matter how small, we see beyond our needs and become involved in the needs of those around us. Doing acts of charity, giving something of ourselves, is like dancing into the maze of human interdependence where so many fulfilling experiences can unfold.

What if we give? Giving is an act of love. In his book The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran wrote about giving. On what to give, he wrote: “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” It can make us feel good even when we just give away our extras, but when we do acts of charity that take away from us, such as giving up a trip to a resort to take care of an ailing grandparent, we truly get involved in charitable acts. When we give to others, we express our love for them and our relationships with them take an engaging significance that makes us experience the pleasure of giving. The more we give of ourselves, the more we become alive.

On how to give, Gibran wrote: “There are those who give little of the much which they have – and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome. And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty. There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.” Sometimes, we give because we want something in return. Some expect a matching gift based on the price tag. Others establish the receiver's indebtedness of gratitude and goodwill implicitly or explicitly saying “You owe me”. Many give just to feel good about themselves. Our gifts may be unwholesome with such expectations, but every time we give, whatever our motivation maybe, an opportunity to experience the joy of giving twinkles. Happy givers are believers in the bounty of life – that there is abundance instead of scarcity, that there is enough for all those in need. Gibran wrote: “For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the over prudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city? And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?” If we can dispel the thinking that we do not have enough that push us to want more, to accumulate material possessions, and to hoard our fortunes, we can live without fear of tomorrow and we can allow ourselves to experience the joy of giving with the knowledge that we have so much that we can share. Rabindranath Tagore said: “Whatever we treasure for ourselves separates us from others – our possessions are our limitations.”

On when to give, Gibran wrote: “It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; and to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving, and is there aught you would withhold?” With the premise that “we have to pay our way through life”, many people in need don't go around asking for help, but with compassion in our hearts, we will we recognize them. It is when we reach out to these people to give of ourselves that we experience the greater joy of giving.

On who to give to, Gibran wrote: “You often say, 'I would give, but only to the deserving.' The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish. Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.” No one is undeserving of any acts of charity. Giving does not give us the license to judge others. Before we examine their worthiness, let us examine ours. Are we a worthy instrument of giving?

What if we give? If we can cultivate a desire and willingness to give, every gesture of charity, no matter how small, can have a rippling effect that can radiate the culture of giving.