by Genalin Jimenez

Created on: October 12, 2009   Last Updated: October 14, 2009

It is better to give than to receive. When you give, you should not expect anything in return. Also when you give, you have to give till it hurts. How about when you give and you are given a million dollars in return? Also the one who gave you the reward of a million dollars earn it back and more, in the form of revenues generated by a widely watch show aired world wide? Is that "giving" still?

Ah, that is no longer giving, in the real sense of that word. It is something else but, definitely, not giving. The essence of giving is this: not to let your right hand know what your left hand has given. Giving must be done incognito. It is when the giver is motivated by pure charity and remains anonymous, that giving becomes meaningful. When your generosity is done for the world to see, that is not charity but hypocrisy. The charity that hastens to proclaim its good deeds ceases to be charity, and is only pride and ostentation.

When you give a million dollar away because you will not "miss" it among the multi million others you have in your stash, then, that, too, is far from the real tenet of true generosity. True generosity is when you give your "only" million dollar away. A million dollars from a multi-millionaire, given to one who has no millions, could be likened to a bone tossed to a dog, which is far from charity. Real charity is " a bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog." Furthermore, charity is not motivated by "return of investment."

Those who have more in life- the rich. the famous and the powerful- must learn how to give in a meaningful fashion. They should not stand high on a plateau of self aggrandizement and take a pittance on their well-manicured and always gloved hands and say, " here is what I am giving for the poor." Those who have more in life must be grateful that the "poor" people are there. It is in giving to the poor that the rich are able to help themselves attain perfection through the exercise of their power to be benevolent. Indeed, it is not the receiver that is blessed but the giver. So, those who have more in life must give and give they must, even without considering if it will be tax deductible, if there will be return of their "investments" or whether their generous act will earn them enough publicity, so they can get elected into any political office of their choice. To do so, will be a BIG mistake.

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