When we encounter 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, our gift is nowhere near as powerful as it could be. For example, may want to give a homeless person a spare five dollar bill, but if we give it without also taking a moment to look the person in the eye and connect with them, thereby making authentic contact, we short change them of the experience of being human.
Being in a position of need often leaves people feeling vulnerable and full of self-doubt. For me, 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. Additionally, if we take a longer view, we can see that we all began life in need of great of care and attention, and sadly many of us end life in the same way. Giving and receiving are similar energies that take turns throughout our lives. Lets not forget that we all get a chance to be on both sides of the exchange from time to time… an idea that takes on even more relevance in the time we live in today.
I think it’s also important to be aware of our own tendency to give from a desire to feel good about ourselves. 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 truly honor those we are helping when we remember the many people who have helped us. A concept I learned firsthand in 2008 as I battled cancer. Those who helped through surgery and chemotherapy literally saved my life, in ways they may never fully understand. They were in the truest sense my own cadre of angels.
A final thought on giving, this is something I read recently… “In honoring those we help, we can authentically look the person we are helping in the eye, fully aware that we are making contact with another person who is our equal”.
A related post you might like too… Being There.
