Generosity

Over the last couple of years we have seen, read and been admonished to feel grateful. We are told that gratitude will make things better in our lives. In fact, some self styled gurus would have you believe that all you need to do is feel gratitude and all that you desire will fall into your hands. And though that has not happened to me, who knows, it may have happended to you.

But in all our discussion of gratitude there seems to be very little written about generosity. Just in case you want some clarity here are the definitions as copied from Google.

generosity
ʤɛnəˈrɒsəti/Submit
noun
1.
the quality of being kind and generous.
“I was overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and neighbours”
synonyms:    liberality, lavishness, magnanimity, magnanimousness, munificence, open-handedness, free-handedness, bounty, unselfishness, indulgence, prodigality, princeliness; More
magnanimity, kindness, kindliness, benevolence, beneficence, altruism, charity, philanthropism, nobility, nobleness, loftiness, high-mindedness, big-heartedness, honourableness, honour, goodness, unselfishness, self-sacrifice, lack of prejudice, disinterest
antonyms:    meanness
2.
the quality or fact of being plentiful or large.
“diners certainly cannot complain about the generosity of portions”
synonyms:    abundance, plentifulness, copiousness, amplitude, profuseness, richness, lavishness, liberality, munificence, largeness, superabundance, infinity, inexhaustibility, opulence; More
Origin

More
late Middle English (denoting nobility of birth): from Latin generositas, from generosus ‘magnanimous’ (see generous). Current senses date from the 17th cent.
Translate generosity to
Use over time for: generosity

Years ago I worked at a women’s centre. One day, an obviously well to do woman arrived and said she had a trunk full of clothes to donate. We expressed our thankfulness and at that point she went on to lay down numerous stipulations of who would be worthy to receive her cast offs. After hearing her out, my co-worker politely said;”We don’t put restrictions on who can take from our clothes cupboard, perhaps you should take your donations elsewhere.”  The woman left in a huff and we were relieved to not have to deal with such closefisted giving.

I think we need to focus a little more on being generous. It takes so little to drop a coin in a cup, volunteer at a cause close to your heart or even pay for the cup of coffee for the stranger behind you in the coffee shop line-up. Being the recipient of open handed generosity brings a glow to the heart of the receiver and leaved you feeling pretty good too. The important thing about being generous is recognizing that you do the deed with no expectation of return, otherwise it isn’t generosity, it’s bartering. Have a generous rest of your day.