Generosity

This is a pitch for helping others.

Generosity means being kind. Generous also means plentiful or large. It takes expansion to be generous.

Magnanimous, a synonym, means “great soul.” I like the feeling of generosity, when extended to me and when I extend it.

One form of generosity is being supportive. It would make a positive shift for all of us if we engaged in more generous support of each other.

I walked in the woods and met a woman walking two dogs for her neighbor as a favor. The dogs’ owner isn’t able to walk them. I few minutes later, I passed volunteers working in the woods, pulling ivy and blackberries to make it better for everyone.

Don’t worry about wasting generosity because it’s never wasted even if it appears to be. It does take time, though, and I’ve figured out a timetable to help us work this out. We need to build on the helpers, and how to be one. This is how I break it down so we can plug in and create generosity in action.

One goal is 1 hour weekly toward helping anyone but yourself (all the other time, feel free to help yourself). That breaks down to less than 10 minutes a day. Simple ideas are things like raking leaves for your neighbor; feeding their cat if they’re out of town; writing a card to someone; calling or visiting a lonely or alone person; picking up litter on your street. The possibilities abound, it just has to reach beyond you, yourself, and yours. Shift from I, me, mine to we, us, community.

This would truly help every one of us. The helpers and the helped.

Personal generosity is showing up, giving your time and presence. I know we’re all busy. One tip: cut down your technology use and you’d be shocked at the time you get back.

If 1 hour is too much per week, do 30 minutes per week, which is less than 6 minutes a day for someone or something outside of your container. Putting out bird seed or adding water to a bird bath counts. Birds count.

If chores, writing, visiting, or calling isn’t your thing, there are other creative options in the extension of generosity. Show up at a game, poetry reading, concert, art show, sheep herding trial, spelling bee, pine derby race, or some other community event for someone you have no real obligation to support. Support anyway. Support without obligation is almost a holy act, or sacred, or just plain unusual. It’s surprising and unexpected, which makes it potent.

If you don’t have 5 minutes to spare in your life right now, this is a chance to do a few seconds a day. You can give 5 seconds by allowing someone to merge while you’re driving. Let someone go in front of you in line at the grocery store. Return a cart in the parking lot. That might take 15 seconds. You can wave at your neighbor, 3 seconds. Bus your table, 15-20 seconds. Pick up after your dog, 5-8 seconds. Hit like occasionally on Facebook for someone who is excited about something even if you aren’t, 2 seconds.

It is not always efficient to be generous, to take the time to see, listen and absorb another person or cause. And yet it doesn’t need to be lengthy or draining either. I love being efficient, but I’m willing to question its need at all times. We might waste other resources like connecting, joy, curiosity, trust, and validation if we are too focused on efficiency.