gen·er·ous
/ˈjen(ə)rəs/
adjective
- (of a person) showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.
“she was generous with her money”
2. showing kindness toward others.
“it was generous of them to ask her along”
This is one of my favorite quotes of generosity:
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”
― John Bunyan
So many people think that generosity is all about giving money and frankly that is the easiest thing for us to give. In my younger days I would say, ask me for money but not my time, I had such a scarcity of time and while I did not have much money I knew that I could make more of it. Here are a few things you can give that will make a difference to someone.
- Be generous with your attention – not just hearing someone but actually listen with your heart, listen to them and seek to understand where they are coming from.
- Be Generous with kind words – sometimes you will say something to a perfect stranger and you have no idea the impact it makes on their lives, so make your words positive and kind, even if things are not going well at the moment!
- Be Generous with your time – it is actually the most valuable thing you can give. The time for a phone call, a cup of coffee, a walk in the park, a helping hand or a simple text message letting someone know you are thinking of them.
- Be Generous with your money – even $5 to a charity means a lot, or a hot cup of coffee to the man on the street who is cold. You do not have to be rich to give, generosity is in the small things.
Find opportunities to be generous with your fellow human beings. We all have our fears, our needs, and our sadness, our loneliness, even the least of us can indeed be generous to another.
