North Side, Anguilla (Tuesday, 14th January 2014) — Last month as we celebrated the festive sacred season honouring the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ, and came to the end of another year, the Spirit inspired me to write a few more words to share with The Anguillian reading audience. Yet at the time, I didn’t feel motivated to submit this opinion editorial, which was the last article I wrote for the year 2013. So now I’m editing and re-writing a bit of it that I previously composed.
My thoughts during the holidays were focussed on raising conscious awareness for celebrating the joy of true giving from the heart. In this article, I’d like to focus on the real reason for the season and not the superficial gestures of giving that we often witness in our fellow human beings.
Many of us get caught up in the commercialism of buying gifts to give to our family and friends. We can’t help ourselves since the merchants focus on making money by our parting with hard-earned dollars. It’s a part of the economic equation to circulate currency and promote capitalistic ideals.
However, true giving is not about giving material wealth. The real definition that we are asked to embrace is giving gifts from the heart. To give from the heart does not require us to purchase anything. We are asked to give of ourselves as generously as we are capable of doing.
Giving gifts from the heart can mean doing a neighbour a small favour like providing the person with a lift to the grocery store or merely spending time helping an individual do a few household chores. It could be calling a friend who is challenged with health concerns once a week to check on whether the person is all right. Perhaps a child might make a promise to wash the dishes after supper every other night. May be a professional will agree to donate a portion of time or waive fees for a charitable cause. Even writing a heartfelt letter of thanks, or designing a greeting card for someone who’s sick, is considered a gift from the heart.
Despite my own lessened income, I find ways to share with others what the Lord has so graciously provided to me. No matter whose hands give whatever we receive, The Most High Creator is actually the source of all that we are given and that is provided to us. What I know for sure is that everything I receive ultimately comes from God. So I always give thanks not only to the person from whom I receive the gifts, but most graciously as well to Jah.
Everyone is encouraged to be mindful of giving from the heart year round. It’s not the amount of money we spend on the gifts given that matters. It is what we feel in our hearts when we give that bears the greatest significance.
Giving from our hearts to others in need
During the Christmas season I was reminded by a friend of mine, who was going through some very tough times, what it’s like not to have the financial means to buy what is needed. Learning to give to others who may be less fortunate is not always an easy task to accomplish when we don’t have much for our own selves. Yet there is a real joy in giving from the heart and sharing honestly whatever we have with others.
In December, I found myself frequenting Halls Bakery and Mega Savers buying fresh baked bread and tins of tuna not only for myself, but for a friend’s family as well. I knew the family relied primarily on one person’s earnings to support three generations of relatives. The loaves of bread and fish may seem to some like a small gesture of giving. Yet I felt truly blessed to be able to share some of what I had with others. What I received in return for these generous gifts given was several unexpected meals eaten with my friend at his cousin’s family house.
Was I hesitant in spending the limited dollars that I had in my pocket with those in need? Certainly not, because I know when I give that I will always receive from someone else if not from the recipient of the gifts I’d given. I give gifts from my heart freely without being asked and without any expectation of receiving thanks — though a word of “thank you” is always appreciated – or without receiving something in return for what I’ve given. Another thing that I know for sure is given from the heart brings immense joy.
Giving and/or exchanging gifts
It is when we don’t give from our hearts, or when we merely give to some friends and family members, and not to all present that we create disappointment, heartache or make persons feel left out. I’ve witnessed this selective exchange of gifts to particular persons happen amongst family and friends during Christmas gift giving.
Whether or not I was the receiver of a gift, it always bothered me when an individual was omitted from this exchange of presents. It showed me that the gifts were given from the heart to only a select few and did not include everyone.
So we must be mindful not to exclude others in our giving of gifts. If we do not want to include everyone, then it would be best for us to exchange gifts in a private setting where only those who are giving and receiving gifts are present.
Better still, we could ask everyone to join in and draw names from a hat for buying and exchanging gifts. For those who don’t have the funds to participate, we would still be sure to buy the person a gift. That way no one has any awkward feelings of not being a part of the in-crowd or inner circle of loved ones or close friends.
Recognising the needs of others
We have to be observant in recognising the needs of others before they ask us for help, and we must also let others know what our needs are. Sometimes just by observing a person, listening to what he or she says or does can indicate what are his or her needs. Other times we just need to give without being asked and trust that what we have given is what the individual needs.
A good example of what we are doing in the Anguilla community to assist persons who are less fortunate is the development of food banks and donation sites for non-perishable foods at the local grocery stores and in village churches. Next time you shop at Ashley & Sons and JW Proctors look for the food bank displays. Bethel Methodist Church in South Hill has designated the third Sunday of every month for members and visitors to bring such items to put in a food basket for distribution to those in need. Other community organisations have similar projects on-going.
There are other ways to donate food. For example, if we are getting ready to travel off island, give a friend or neighbour perishable items that would spoil if left in our refrigerators. Sharing what we have to spare with others is generally very much appreciated. I know because a friend of mine who went away for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays gave me such a gift. The donation of foodstuff helped extend what I already had in stock. Thereby, I saved a few dollars that I would have spent without this gift from the heart.
Giving gifts without spending too many dollars
We can give without spending too much money. For example, I’ve opted to give a tangible gift to assist with the care of my elderly parents. The gift I give to my family is that every year, whether it’s for a few weeks or several months, I choose to visit my father and mother’s residence overseas. I stay with them to give my brother and sister relief from their duties of helping care for Dad and Mum.
Serving as a care provider, whether on a temporary or long-term basis, takes a tremendous amount of love, compassion and energy. It’s something that we are all capable of doing when called upon, when our services are needed or merely because we just know it’s the right thing to do for those whom we care about. We do it for the ones whom we love.
The joy of giving
Whatever we choose to do, we must find a way to give back to others and pay forward so that we too will receive in our time of need. Give for the joy of giving. Give from your heart. Give whatever we can afford to give. Be creative in our gift giving. Find ways to give without spending any money.
Just give, give, and give generously and honestly from our hearts and we will all be amazed to see what is given back to us. The miracles of life unfold when we give of ourselves and give wholeheartedly. I encourage everyone of us to make giving from the heart a central part of our core being, and to include it in the development and practicing of our business and personal mission and vision statements.
Giving thanks
In the past ten months one of my greatest joys in giving has been the pleasure and honour of being of service by sharing my gift of creative writing to raise the conscious awareness on various matters impacting our community. The compliments and encouragement to write that I‘ve received from various individuals have inspired me to compose many more words than I ever imagined I could create.
It’s been a joy writing for all of the readers who peruse our enlightening national newspaper. And I hope my writings have helped inspire each one of us to greater heights in living our fuller lives.
Lest I not forget, I would also like to express a special thank you to Mr A. Nat Hodge, MBE, Editor, and Ms Monique Webster, Receptionist/Office Assistant, as well as Ms Esther Ward, Senior Layout/Design Officer of The Anguillian, who have been especially supportive of my endeavours to publish the written word in print and online. Without their diligent efforts, we wouldn’t have a worthwhile weekly publication of Anguilla’s daily news nor would I be able to call myself a published writer.
From my heart to yours, a big thank you to all for giving me the joyous pleasure of serving each one of you as we journey together on this adventure of living in a heart-centred community and raising our conscious awareness. God spare life, you will hopefully be able to look forward to more inspirational op-eds coming forth in the New Year.
And, as always, remember to be the instrument of change that you desire to be and help co-create our beautiful island paradise. May Jah continue to bless and move our lives forward, and aid us in transforming our great Caribbean nation of Anguilla and all of the people who reside on island! Wishing everyone peace, joy, love, abundance, good health, and God’s blessings for 2014.
Kay M Ferguson is a Creative Professional Writer and Editor who resides on Anguilla. Through her life lessons, she has learnt that the universal law of giving back, paying forward, works extremely well if this spiritual practise is followed.
To link with Kay, she can be reached on mobile number 1.264.476.8735. From the USA or Canada, call her landline 1.206.388.4848. Send an email to her at anguillawriter@gmail.com or e-message at www.facebook.com/kaymferguson or www.linkedin.com/kay-m-ferguson. Tweet #@kaykayferguson.
