As humans, we are geared to be the ones who give to someone else. It just feels odd to be the one who accepts something when you have no possible way of giving a gift back or doing a favor in return. It’s why it is so difficult to fundraise for charities, political campaigns, or even people in desperate need of help (sickness, natural disaster, legal troubles, etc.) To go and ask for gifts of time, service, donations of food, items to use, or just money, seems weird and crass. So most of us have an extremely hard time doing it.
It’s the reason that it is so hard to get those collection plates/baskets filled on worship days at Churches, synagogues, and mosques. People just resist turning loose of their money. The leaders have a difficult time trying to force themselves to “make the ask”. The circle continues on and on.
Here’s the thing, though: if you can make people stop and realize how much they have right now in this moment in time that they can be grateful for, and that, like the trees and the stars in the universe, we have the absolute right to be here, the wonder of it all is overwhelming. You want to share. You want to find a way to make someone else’s life better because yours is unbelievably good and you’re grateful for that. Likewise, it becomes a gift to receive these blessings from others because you feel the love and joy coming through them as they share what they have with you.
Gratitude is indeed a two-way thing. It is love coming to visit and love going out to welcome the visitor. May we always find it in our hearts every single day. Namaste.
Wright4Georgia 