Giving from generosity versus giving from obligation

Giving from generosity is generated from the source of enough.

Giving from obligation is generated from the source of duty.

Giving does not exist in isolation from the context and generative function.

I watched a woman at the coffee shop this morning giving from generosity. She paid for the coffees of three emergency service workers. It was spontaneous. The ripples spread around the coffee shop, and the staff on New Year’s Day were touched. 

We might not have cash to give. We can give a smile. We can say thank you. We can at the least, be respectful. We always have something to give from the always ocean of generosity and plenty.

The belief that there is not enough is one that our culture wants to enforce. It is baked into our capitalistic impulse and the monopoly power of money. 

Consider all the myriad ways you can give. Giving from abundance is how we have the power to break the back of the scarcity ethos. 

Caveat: Giving that has anyone suffer, including the giver, is not healthy giving.

Photo taken January 1st 2023