Be aware of giving from a
desire to feel good about ourselves, rather than from a place of connection to
all people.
When we see a person in need, we may want to give them something as a way of
helping them, but if we give without taking the time to see who they really
are, honoring that most of all, our gift is nowhere near as powerful as it
could be. We may want to give a homeless person a sandwich, for example, but if
we give it without also taking a moment to look the person in the eye, making
authentic contact, we rob them of the experience of being human.
Being in a position of need leaves a lot of people feeling vulnerable and full
of self-doubt. The greatest gift we can give is to meet people in need without
judgment and with the awareness that we are not superior to them simply because
we are not currently in their position. If we take the long view, we can see
that we all began life in need of a lot of care and attention, and many of us
end life in the same way. Giving and receiving are companion energies that take
turns throughout our lives, and we all get a chance to be on both sides of the
exchange from time to time.
It's important to be aware of our own tendency to give from a desire to feel
good about ourselves, rather than from an acknowledgement of our connection to
all people. Letting go of our self-importance allows us to see that, regardless
of appearances, we are all givers and receivers. When we are in the position of
the giver, we honor those we are helping when we remember the many people who
have helped us. Then we can look the person we are helping in the eye, aware
that we are making contact with a human being who is our equal.
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