G is for Generosity-26 Days to Practice Peace by Conlee Ricketts

is for Generosity

Generosity of spirit is where I place my focus today. 

It’s easy for me to first associate generosity with financial generosity but because I’m working through some of my own financial setbacks I personally need to focus on as many other types of generosity that I can.

Be generous with your smiles.  In the store if I see someone who looks completely sad and defeated and I can make eye contact I will give them a smile with a hint of “been there—done that—got the t-shirt.”  If I can pull a hint of relief from their face then my generosity has been received.

Be generous with your time.  Spending a few extra moments to really listen can be one of the most generous things I do in a day. I spend my extra moments with anyone needing to share a story with me; sometimes it’s the crazy old dude in the coffee shop telling me how to live my life and sometimes it’s my neighbor with the “guy troubles.” My favorite extra time is with my daughter listening to her invent a story while we run errands or just sitting near her while she does homework. 

Be generous with your prayers.  I try to send off a positive thought when I’m feeling uneasy, annoyed, or scared.  A fire truck blasts by loud and scary and I say “I hope everyone’s okay.”  Someone drives around me dangerously cutting through traffic and I say, “I hope you arrive safely.” Whatever, whoever I come across during the day that needs some extra love I simply send off a little prayer.  My prayers aren’t a typical prayer like I learned when I was a child, but taking a moment to send a focused thought of pure goodness can’t hurt.

For today give of yourself, your heart, your smile, your time, your ears, instead of your dollars.  This form of generosity pays itself back instantaneously.  You might get to hear a fascinating story, make a new friend, or quite possibly extend some emotional relief to someone who is in desperate need.

Today say, “I will give whatever I can to whomever I can whenever I can.”

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