Singer George Michael passed away on Christmas Day of 2016. He was well known for his musical works, but many had no idea how many charities he supported quietly behind the scenes. He was a dedicated philanthropist who made generous donations without the public's knowledge.
But it wasn't just his money that he gave freely. He also did performances for charities, donating his time. He used his fame to make others aware of different causes, but it wasn't until after his death that the magnitude of his generosity was known.
You may think to yourself that it's easy for someone with lots of money to be generous. But there are countless stories of selfless generosity, like the janitor who quietly amassed a multi-million dollar fortune. He lived frugally and drove second-hand vehicles his entire life. He left millions to his local library and hospital.
And remember, generosity doesn't stop with money. You may have heard the story of a man traveling with his young baby. The child was upset on the airplane, and the man couldn't soothe the baby. A woman sitting next to the frazzled man offered to hold the baby, and she was able to calm the child.
Imagine donating your time to build a home for someone in need. Or driving an older adult to their appointment because they can't drive safely anymore. Or spending time walking dogs in an animal shelter. Whatever you donate, you can give so much more than just material things.
Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.
Frank A. Clark
Generosity is more than just giving something physical to someone. Most of us do not have millions of dollars to donate, as much as we would like to. But you can still be generous. Generosity is about sacrifice; it costs you financially, or it costs your time, or efforts. It's giving something that you would have liked to have yourself.
Generosity is one of the 4 pillars under the competency of Collaboration in the
The next time you gather a pile of stuff to donate, don't just take your old stuff. Walk in and offer your time. Or visit the animal shelter or a hospital.
Generosity means giving, but you will find that you are giving yourself the greatest gift--happiness and the understanding that you are improving someone's life.