It's Better to Give Than to Get
It's better to give than to get. The myth teaches that getting takes first place: if you're good you'll get, if you're bad you won't! If the giving is done out of a heart filled with love, that is true. If it is done out of a sense of obligation, much of the happiness is lost. Most of us say (and think that we believe) that 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' But when we talk about 'exchanging gifts,' we betray the fact that we do expect a little something to be given in return." Christmastime and birthdays is characterized by material giving, the exchanging of gifts, a great outpouring of toys upon the children of many nations. There is a much greater gift that all children need, and need not once or a few times a year, but every day of their lives. It is important to make time. Not just on the one day of the year set aside by the world as gift-giving time, but every day.
Giving young children everything they want may indeed spoil them and tend to make them more selfish. Older parents who continue to give adult "children" everything they want may cause them to view the parents mainly as a fountain of gifts, rather than as people who are due respect and affection. Grown children who receive too much in a material way from their parents may not only be spoiled but also be prevented from learning the valuable lesson of how they can obtain joy by giving to their parents, or by doing things for them. Parents who do not give children too much often find that when they later do give an unexpected gift it is more likely to be appreciated. And the parents may be more appreciated for what they are, rather than for what they can give.
Weddings, anniversaries, Christmases, birthdays, and a host of other celebrations are all social mores in which gift giving is an expected and accepted part of the rituals. But because it is expected in many countries, it often works a hardship on the giver that detracts from the joy of giving. There is, however, the spontaneous giving, the giving that is not expected. It delights the receiver, whether the gift is little or big, and it brings the giver the greatest happiness. Admittedly, those who have more are able to give more.
Giving young children everything they want may indeed spoil them and tend to make them more selfish. Older parents who continue to give adult "children" everything they want may cause them to view the parents mainly as a fountain of gifts, rather than as people who are due respect and affection. Grown children who receive too much in a material way from their parents may not only be spoiled but also be prevented from learning the valuable lesson of how they can obtain joy by giving to their parents, or by doing things for them. Parents who do not give children too much often find that when they later do give an unexpected gift it is more likely to be appreciated. And the parents may be more appreciated for what they are, rather than for what they can give.
Weddings, anniversaries, Christmases, birthdays, and a host of other celebrations are all social mores in which gift giving is an expected and accepted part of the rituals. But because it is expected in many countries, it often works a hardship on the giver that detracts from the joy of giving. There is, however, the spontaneous giving, the giving that is not expected. It delights the receiver, whether the gift is little or big, and it brings the giver the greatest happiness. Admittedly, those who have more are able to give more.
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