***REAL Giving this Year

written by Susan Winter Ward

It seems that almost everyone I know is reassessing their lives these days. Are you doing that too? We’re revisiting our priorities, looking at what we want to do to make a difference in our world, sifting through our lifestyles and, by the way, how will we celebrate the holidays?

Many of us are aware that we are a culture of consumers, a society of shoppers. For many of us, the “work” of shopping for gifts, preparing for the required festivities and showing up with a joyful heart just doesn’t feel like an authentic celebration anymore. Most of us have more than we need and certainly don’t need more and more.

So what ARE authentic ways to celebrate this holiday season? Many folks are dealing with financial crises this year and can’t afford the “shop-a-thon”. What about going back to the true spirit of giving that we’ve lost in all the hype and marketing of the gift giving?

It wasn’t always a commercially materialistic Christmas. Gift giving was, in earlier times, an opportunity to be creative with a gift made by the giver especially for the loved one, or to give food or surprises, play parlor games and share warmth and friendship with friends and family. What can we give, of ourselves, this year? What would be a most meaningful gift that we didn’t purchase?

Mother Theresa told a story of true giving. She said that we, in the West, think that we’re generous, but she said that she saw a starving woman give half of her one and only banana to a hungry man…and THAT is true generosity.

This holiday season, I would encourage all of us to explore other possibilities in giving.

Give of yourself, from your heart with love. Mother Theresa also said, “Do no great things, but do small things with great love.”

How can we make a difference in our world by doing small things with great love? I’m sure that there are many opportunities to break with the traditional shopping syndrome and be creative with our giving. Feed the hungry, take underprivileged child to the zoo, take Christmas dinner to a needy family…the list could go on and on. You can make your own list. What will you do this holiday to make a difference in someone’s life?

Everyone can give some small thing…a walk on the beach with a lonely person, visiting the elderly in a rest home, joining a group of carolers, or shoveling a shut-in’s driveway. This giving doesn’t cost any money. It’s a gift from the heart, a gift of caring and sharing.

This is the true spirit of the holidays. Maybe we can all rekindle this authentic generosity; what a wonderful old tradition to renew!

Give from your heart, with love, and do some small thing. In return, you’ll receive the gift of gratitude. That gift will warm your heart, feed your soul and bring you great joy.

©2009 Susan Winter Ward / Yoga for the Young at Heart / yogaheart.com
Licensed to Boomer-Living.com by terms of Agreement

Tags: boomer generosity, holiday season, meaningful gift, share warmth, true spirit