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What is the cost of giving?

Putting out my blue box recently, the stack revealed a displaced item I’ve saved since last year. The December 2013 edition of the Calgary Sun reported on an exceptional soul. Tom Crist of that city, made history in Calgary by winning the $40-million Lotto Max, the largest lottery prize ever won in the city.

Putting out my blue box recently, the stack revealed a displaced item I’ve saved since last year. The December 2013 edition of the Calgary Sun reported on an exceptional soul. Tom Crist of that city, made history in Calgary by winning the $40-million Lotto Max, the largest lottery prize ever won in the city.

The reason I kept this copy was not for the reason that Crist was a monetary winner, simply he demonstrated himself as a winning personality. You see, he does not intend to keep any of his winnings for himself.

“The money is all going to charity,” he said. Having lost his wife to cancer the year prior, he has started a cancer charity foundation that he plans to fund. “Personally, the money is going to do zero for me,” he told the press, hiding his face during photos. This modest man said he was not seeking any media attention.

Most of us are not in a fortunate position that would allow us to replicate his actions, but there are so various other ways to demonstrate our benevolent nature in methods within our capacity.

Something as easy as a smile that puts a sunbeam on someone’s face is a gift. We should never stop being charitable. It is not in receiving, however, in giving that we posses a propensity to be blessed. This benevolence makes me understand to look at life from a unique perspective. A sense of gratification from serving others is the ultimate happiness, which even tons of money cannot buy. The smile and an encouraging word shoot me straight within the heart.

There need be no great effort to unfold happiness, provided you want to do it! Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing. I only wish there were more people in our world who acted with such love. Helping gives you beautiful rewards, don’t you think? This is so inspiring. Giving freely, openly without expecting anything in return.

The poor, the sick, the marvelous animals, I feel they are all God’s handiwork to test us if we are willing to love and care for others. And yes, it’s true, money can’t buy happiness, that joy you feel deep within your heart when you help others, and see them contented with that simple smile on their faces, it’s striking. Thanks God, I’m in fine shape, yeah, perhaps that’s His silent blessing for me too, in return.

Never stop doing little deeds for others. Broadly speaking, those little things occupy the largest part of our heart. I hope each of us can do somewhat of it in our lives, and we will be much more contented and also the world will be happier as well. Kindness is the universal language that reaches the heart of every living being. It fills your own heart more than anything else! Imagine the world where everyone does this for everyone else! Don’t be too eager to be famous, strive to be impressed, this is real happiness.

The unselfish act of giving is a lovely reminder of the true significance of life. You don’t need to tell others about what you do. Your actions show us powerfully that you are responding to God’s love. God loved us first, so naturally we want to know him, and return that love through how we treat Him, and others. This is so beautiful, so easy to be generous in thought, we can wholly avail. We never know how much we are actually helping someone.

If only we are a bit more mindful and generous, every moment of our lives can be so rich. Beautiful. This is the direction the universe is presupposed to be.

Tom Crist was financially independent prior to his lottery winnings; the majority of us are not so. We do, however, have the capacity to follow the direction of his heart. This is why I choose this approach. I never expect anything in return when I do something for others.

Are you a giver or a taker?

Jesse Mlynarski

Red Deer