It’s not what you have but what you give

Lisa T.

 

Wealth – or rather, valuing wealth as a commodity – is a slippery-slope conversation. 

Let’s be clear, we owe many positive aspects of our lives to having means: Longevity through good nutrition, decent housing and health care are big ones. But if I’m honest, the pursuit of money is increasingly being seen as a dubious pursuit – a double-edged sword with a questionable “return on investment.”

Let’s decide for the moment you’re here, invested in reading this WOOM, that we’re in agreement about one thing: “It’s not what you have but what you give.”

First of all, what a relief. How great that we be judged not on the basis of the assets we’ve accumulated – or not.  How wonderful a thought that we be judged on what we’re able to give of ourselves – from our hearts and minds rather than what we’ve been able to acquire.  

For the most part, people in my life agree with these wise words. Unfortunately, actions and words don’t always add up. For example, I still see (more often than not), friends (mainly women) who fuss over their “less than acceptable” hosting skills (their words, not mine).

Scene: I visit a friend unannounced to say hello. My friend receives me in the entrance of her home and we catch up for 10 minutes. I leave happy as can be, continuing on my walk. She, on the other hand, is seized with guilt, thinking she hasn’t provided, feels a mess in her jogging pants and sorry for not being prepared with canapés.

This is a small, but big, example. All I wanted was her time. That was and always will be enough.

If we value what we have, we may feel it’s never enough. If we value what we give, it’s an ever-flowing source: Of love, laughter, togetherness and wisdom.

Collectively, if we shifted towards valuing immaterial wealth, asking ourselves, what can I give, what can I be in service to, then we’d be in a much better place – richer as individuals and as a global community.

Giving gives. To have well-being is to be well-off. And that kind of wealth is priceless.

This week’s WOOM blog was written by Lisa T.