There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom, and peace of mind -- are always attained by giving them to someone else.-Peyton Conway March
When I awoke one morning last week, my thoughts of gratitude were for all the acts of generosity I've been witnessing. From the millions of dollars being raised for Haiti to the boxes of bath and spa products lined up on my kitchen counter (above), I felt so blessed just to witness all the giving.I know a very generous woman who works at the Life Care Center in Keauhou who warms my heart with acts that she considers mundane and trivial. Such as her weekly "meals-on-wheels" day when she shops and cooks for her shut-in aunt and a couple unable to cook full meals for themselves, and the shampoos that she buys for the residents at Life Care "so that they can smell nice and feel good".
When I mentioned this in passing to another friend, she decided to pick up a "few things" the next time she went to Kalona Salon and Spa. Through the generosity of my friend and her husband, as well as the owner of the salon, the products found their way to my counter and I bagged them up and delivered them this afternoon. I can't tell you how good it made me feel to do that and I really didn't do anything but witness it all.
It does seem true, that mythical law of nature that Peyton March refers to in his quote. What we crave for is attained by giving them to someone else because it has nothing to do with money or material goods. It makes us feel good to make others feel good. Journalist Nicholas Kristoff wrote recently:
Let's remember that while charity has a mixed record helping others, it has an almost perfect record of helping ourselves.
Of generosity, I know that it even feels good to hear about it, watch it happen, and to tell others about it. As a generous act does your heart good, it ripples out into the world and touches the hearts of others. Thank you, to all of you in my world, for your acts of kindness and giving. I feel your love!