Giving

Every day we have opportunities to give to others. Sometimes we give possessions, sometimes we give our time. A compliment or a smile costs nothing and takes little time. I really enjoy the moment when you catch someone’s eye and as you smile, you see the smile spread across their face. I feel especially blessed if I also see a momentary twinkle in their eyes! What a gift!

One of my favorite ways of giving is to volunteer. I began mentoring a woman while she was in a correctional facility. On my first visit she told me that no one had come to visit her in the last 6 months. I offered to visit her every week, even though my commitment was for twice a month. She was due to be released in 2 months and I thought it would give us a chance to get to know each other. We would sit in the library and talk about her past, mistakes she made and what she’s learned from them, and her dreams for the future. We laughed and cried. On our last visit before her release she thanked me for taking the time to visit her every week. She explained that it meant so much to her because when we were talking, she could pretend she wasn’t incarcerated. She didn’t have to keep up her guard, she could just relax and be.

The funny thing is, I didn’t think I would be able to make a difference in her life until she was released. But I was giving her a gift just by visiting her and her gratitude was a HUGE and unexpected gift to me.

I also volunteer at my church’s Healing Center. I meet with new guests, who are mainly the working poor, and offer them caring support, food, clothing and referrals to agencies that may be able to help with programs or a job. I recently spoke with a woman who had come to take advantage of our free income tax service. She was hoping that she was getting a big refund so she could pay some bills. But to her dismay, they told her that she actually had to pay a few dollars. She had a knee replacement a few months ago and her disability claim had been refused. She was unable to work until her doctor released her, so she was in a real bind; no income and no savings to pay her monthly bills. She had always been the one that her daughters and friends came to for help. She lived by the scripture “It is better to give than receive”.

Despite the fact that she was in danger of being evicted and had no money for food, she could not take the food we offered. Having always worked and supported herself, she only knew how to give; she had no idea how to receive. I asked her to remember how wonderful she feels when she gives to others. Then I suggested that by not allowing others to give to her when she needed help, she was denying them that same good feeling.

I believe that we are here to help each other. That means that sometimes you are the giver and sometimes you are the receiver. But no matter which role you play, everybody wins.

Betsy
http://www.betsybaxter.com/
"Get a life you really, really, REALLY want!