Sharing what you can least afford to give
A reflection on the nature of generosity
Reflections on Generosity - Part 1
Generosity is sharing that which you can least afford to give.
Who do you know that is particularly generous? How would you describe them? Do they give without expecting anything in return?
We all know people like that (perhaps you are even one of them) – people who are always there to help, who share what they have, no matter how little or much that may be.
They rightly deserve our admiration, for we live in selfish times, all caught up in the age of the individual – my needs, my rights, my wants, my desires – it’s all about “me”. It is no longer fashionable for individual aspirations to play second fiddle to community responsibilities.
It is easy to become cynical in our world, especially when we secretly admit our own complicity in perpetuating the myth of self-centred fulfilment. But then a disaster happens, a catastrophe strikes, and the outpouring of public generosity revives our faith in humanity again.
Why does it so often take a crisis to bring out the best in us? People pull together to fight a common cause. There is a sense of camaraderie that is infectious. Suddenly, we find ourselves tapping into one of the most powerful human drives – the desire to make a positive difference.
Dramatic events manage to penetrate our psychological armour of indifference.