How Generosity Can Bless You Too
Sarah Hale
Do you know the elated feeling you get when you’re tearing the nicely wrapped gift that you get for your birthday, Christmas, or just because? There’s an unexplainable mixture of emotions including pure bliss, astonishment, and feeling loved and known. Someone thought of you, gave you a gift specific to who you are and what you like, and sacrificed something in their life to get that for you. That's a feeling that cannot be manufactured or forced, and it happens when you’ve been tremendously blessed by someone’s intentionality. Now, imagine yourself on the other side of that giving equation. Watching the amount of amazement and joy that exudes from the face of the receiver is truly a gift in itself. Anne Frank once shared her simple, yet powerful words with the world, writing that “No one ever has ever become poor by giving." Although she was young, her circumstances brought her a great deal of wisdom. Giving not only enhances the quality of the life of the one receiving, but the one who gives as well.
We believe that giving and caring for others is an important part of how humans are created to function and we want to encourage you to do so. July 15th is National Give Something Away Day and we want to urge you to really think through someone or a group of people you’d like to love on and how you’d like to do that. You don’t have to do this alone either—you can team up with your family or some of your girlfriends to do something nice for someone. There's an endless amount of opportunities in your community and we implore you to explore what is the right fit for you. Some ideas are: a dear friend of yours who is struggling with infertility or balancing not only her schedule, but five others as well; visiting a homeless or women’s shelter; a family who is in the process of adoption; college students who are fundraising for a mission trip; and the list goes on. We’d also love to hear your ideas if you have any!
So, what are some great things you can give away? Here are a few fun suggestions:
Essential oils — giving away some of your ER monthly orders to someone you know could really benefit from it but can’t afford it is such a sweet gift!
DIY beauty and self-care products — bath bombs/soaks, spa kits, homemade candles, face masks, essential oils rollerballs, etc. Young Living has an amazing selection of self-care products! Plus self-care is important when people are dealing with an enormous amount of stress or an unfortunate circumstance. Being the giver and encourager of taking time to relax and care for your well-being is a much-appreciated gift.
Clothes— Raise your hand if you’ve got a pair of shoes or a couple of shirts that you haven’t worn in months? Guilty! We have all been persuaded by the extra 25% sale sign that convinced us we needed those new shoes, only for them to sit in the closet collecting dust. This national day is a perfect time to declutter your space and provide an essential need for someone who truly needs it.
Kid’s toys— This is such an incredible opportunity to teach your kiddos the value in generosity and giving. Have your child pick out a few toys to give away and talk through who could be a recipient of their gift.
This list does not even begin to scratch the surface of things you can give away and we truly encourage you once again to just think about what's best for you and your family. It is an incredible feeling to bless someone and be blessed in return. St. Francis Assisi once said, “For it is in giving that we receive”. We’d call that a little nugget of truth and insight to carry around in your pocket. You get the experience of watching someone feel extremely loved and cared for, and that is one of the best and most sustainable gifts you’ll ever receive.