Giving Without Strings

Hello Dear Ones, I grew up with the idea that when someone gave me a gift, it was important to reciprocate in kind. You give me a birthday present, and the unspoken agreement is I’ll give you one of equal value on your birthday. Christmas carried the same kind of tit for tat, right down to the now disappearing Christmas card. I remember (in the days when everyone sent cards), racing to reciprocate for every card received, even though the senders weren’t on my list.

This tired, old practice of keeping track of our giving and receiving is based on scarcity thinking and manipulation. It reduces the action from love to plain old business.

Giving with expectation of return isn’t real giving. It is without love and caring, joy or generosity. If I have more money or time than you, will I withhold myself because you lack funds or time? Will I not treat you to a meal or a gift because I believe you lack the resources to respond in kind?

What about gifts of love and time? What price tag do we put on those? How can we repay someone who is generous to us with their love and time?

Let us practice giving and receiving without the balance sheet. Let us learn to give from our hearts with no expectation of return. The gift is truly in the giving — if we allow it to be that way. The good feeling that occurs when we give out of our overflowing love and abundance is unmatched.

This is a key to being abundant. Let us become aware of our abundance and live in appreciation through our generosity.

— MaxWell

"Sing a song, share a joke, dance! Give whatsoever you can give. It costs you nothing, but it will bring you more and more joys." —Osho

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