Look around. There’s a lot of giving going on. Sometimes we humans ‘give of ourselves, ‘give a piece of our mind’, ‘give a spanking’ or ‘give trouble’. Other times we ‘give a hoot’, ‘give a damn’, ‘give birth’ or ‘give in’. Then there are the times we ‘give up’, ‘give orders’, ‘give away’ or ‘give someone a leg up’. And how about you? When you give… just what do you give? And, even more important, how do you give it?
Let’s assume you give gifts and compliments. You do, don’t you? The question is, HOW do you give?
Are you a generous giver? Are you sure? Truth is, while giving is not uncommon, generous giving actually is. “Have a nice day”, “Lookin’ good!”, or “Thank you K-Mart shoppers”, while technically gifts, are of indistinct value and infrequently extended from the heart. Those ‘free’ gifts you get at the bank or the car wash – or the food they ‘give away’ as you meander through Costco, are all on par with the bag of gifty goodies that you assault as you walk through the rows of exhibits at a convention or fair. Did you ever get a gift of shoe covers as you entered a model home, or sipped a cup of coffee or nibbled on a free cookie as you waited for your accountant, doctor or lawyer? Self-serving, yet, they are gifts… They are given with an agenda; perhaps to put you in a good mood or maybe to create a sense of obligation for you to ‘give’ something in return – like business.
Then there is the more personal side – folks who hand out ‘treats’ on Halloween, and those who wrap way too many holiday gifts for people they feel ‘obligated’ to award. You know the situation… you give, but you do it reluctantly, begrudgingly or offhandedly; certainly without joy.
A gift given generously is offered as a contribution (as in gift, not donation). It is something you do because you want to, not because you have to. There’s no hidden agenda, no ‘in-order-to’ plan and it’s all about them and making them happy. There’s nothing in it for you… although, SURPRISE! The return on your investment is often huge.
I now offer you the lyrics of one of my favorite kid-songs, Magic Penny by Malvina Reynolds (circa 1949 -my birth year). My gift to you…
Magic Penny
Love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.
It’s just like a magic penny,
Hold it tight and you won’t have any.
Lend it, spend it, and you’ll have so many
They’ll roll all over the floor.
For love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.
Money’s dandy and we like to use it,1
But love is better if you don’t refuse it.
It’s a treasure and you’ll never lose it
Unless you lock up your door.
For love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.
So let’s go dancing till the break of day,
And if there’s a piper, we can pay.
For love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.
For love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.