claireyhewitt

Dec 20, 2012 at 10:41 am

I find this a big taboo area to discuss. Talking about your giving has been much frowned upon in my family. The more you give the less you tell people about it. We were not allowed to be proud of our giving.

I have written posts about some minor giving, which I wrote more as a suggestion of how such tiny giving can make a big difference, but I still felt uncomfortable about it.

Right now I have bags all over the house of things to give to people. Second hand items, new things collected through the year etc. A friend called in the other day and was off to the shops to get a high chair for her baby to use over the holidays at Nana’s house – I had one, I gave it to her. It was no big deal, I was finished with it. But to her is it was much required for a 10 month old squirmy bub.

This year I have received the love and thoughts and support from more people than I ever expected and to be honest most were from people I expected nothing from at all. Meals cooked, child minding, phone calls, lunch delivered, a child picked up from school, sequins sewn on a dress. Things that meant more to me than the people will ever know.

I am going to stop before I write a blog post. But I do love that quote and this post very much.

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Naomi Reply:
December 20th, 2012 at 12:24 pm

It’s funny isn’t it. The not telling being seen as bragging or boasting. I do get that.

I was talking with my Mum about it recently, and she told me about an interview she heard with Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who said the reason she started giving without being anonymous was to (and these are Mum’s words) almost shame other well off people into doing the same.

Now, while I am certainly no multimillionaire, or even a millionaire… or anywhere near, I think sometimes if people see how simple and easy giving can be they may be encouraged to do it too.

Like you say, love and thoughts is sometimes all the giving we can give, and it is often all that is wanted or needed.

And now I too will stop, before I write a blog post about my blog post!

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claireyhewitt Reply:
December 20th, 2012 at 12:54 pm

Its a tricky one, Dame Elisabeth was certainly one of kind though wasn’t she. While so much of what she gave was very public there were so many stories of her just sending cheques here and there to people when they were not requested.

Personally, I think those that struggle to give, in all ways – their time, their thoughts, their money, their humour, I think they end up pretty lonely people at some stage. I might be wrong, be the people I know who give the most, they really are pretty happy people.

Over and Out.

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Naomi Reply:
December 20th, 2012 at 12:57 pm

Yep. Agree.

Over and out.

Mumabulous

Dec 20, 2012 at 11:01 am

Giving of your time and support to others is what really counts. You’ve hit upon one of my peeves with the whole “spirit of Christmas” thing. Why cant we be loving and generous towards others all year round? More importantly we can’t we eat dark chocolate macadamias all year round?

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Naomi Reply:
December 20th, 2012 at 12:25 pm

I think we can do both, equally all year round!

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G

Dec 20, 2012 at 11:34 am

I’ve not read that quote from Anne Frank before. Or maybe I have, but it’s been such a long time since I read her diary. It is so true though.

I think the most important gift I’ve given this year is time. Spending time with people whose families seem to have forgotten. Spending time to the listening, holding their hands as they shed tears remembering their families, their lives from before. Just a little time makes people feel worthwhile gain, lets them know people do care. And in return, I was blessed with the gifts of knowing a little more of these people, knowing their stories and the lives they led before time forgot them.

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Naomi Reply:
December 20th, 2012 at 12:26 pm

I think time is a great gift, and one often over looked.

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Stella Orbit

Dec 20, 2012 at 2:22 pm

Also wish I’ve posted comment earlier, when I first read this.
Time.

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