Angel trees. Bell ringers. Email, letters, and phone calls with requests. This time of year, opportunities abound for giving to worthy agencies that do good in our communities. It’s hard to say no when the clerk at the grocery store asks if you’d like to add on a bag of groceries for the food bank.

It’s the perfect season to examine the theme of Generosity.

What does it mean to be generous? Is Generosity the same as Giving? Is it possible to be too generous? What’s the distinction between one-handed giving and open-handed giving? Does giving to others always feel good? Is it beneficial? Is it OK to place limits on our generosity?

In December, we’ll be exploring the theme of Generosity. I’ll review the book The Giving Way to Happiness by Jenny Santi and the children’s book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (spoiler alert: I don’t like it). I’ll share my conversation with Comfort Keidel about being a foster parent. And we’ll talk about all the questions above.

Last month, we looked at Gratitude, and the month before that, we examined Enoughness. The three are inter-related. When we recognize the bounty in our own lives, that we are Enough and that we have Enough, and then express Gratitude for all our abundance, we are able to give Generously and with an open heart. When we give, we feel our abundance multiplied, which leads to greater gratitude, and more giving, and on and on.  

If you’re a Facebook follower, you will already have noticed that this month’s daily prompts are for a Generosity practice. I’m inviting you into a daily practice to do one tiny random act of kindness each day, and then to journal about it in your Gratitude Journal. You’ll notice that very few of the acts of kindness require any money to be spent—they are simple acts of sharing from your heart.

I hope you’ll come along on this journey with me and comment on the prompts. Your feedback is always welcome!

Until next time,