"Re: Gifting Zim" by One Waiting to Give - 5.21.17

Entry Submitted by One Waiting to Give at 2:45 PM EDT on May 21, 2017

Re "Gifting ZIM" by Open Mind - 5.21.17

Hi Open Mind,

I can’t agree with your concern about how the people you have gifted react to their new-found wealth.

It strikes me as silly as lottery winners wringing their hands and crying that their win will ruin their lives; - WHY?

There’s a very simple solution – give it away. Keep what YOU need and are comfortable with and enrich other people’s lives with the rest.

I don’t believe these people you have gifted are babies who need to be spoon-fed all their lives. Give them a Knife and fork and teach them to eat!!

My belief is that this whole situation is about all those who can, (the enlightened ones if you like), reaching out to those in need and helping them, and there are many, many people in need. – Far more than any one person can be expected to comprehend.

Talk to your giftees and explain; - ask them what their thoughts are about Charities and who needs help. You may be surprised by their answers. Most people know of some injustice or have pet causes they would like to help but never have bothered because they don’t have the means. Give them the means and just watch what happens!

If you selfishly deny them the opportunity to maximize your generosity to them, you also deny them the opportunity to do the same to others. Teach them generosity too.

I rather liked your analogy with the swimming lesson, - It rang very true to me personally. When I first went to Secondary (High) School back in the 50’s, that is exactly what happened!

To be allowed in the Pool unsupervised you had to have “passed out” in school parlance, i.e. swum a full 25-yard length of the pool unaided. To this end we lined up and one by one jumped/were pushed in at the deep end and had to swim to the shallow end.

Now, it must be said, our P.E. teacher walked on the poolside along with us, holding a long pole with a safety harness just in front of each pupil. He was reluctant to get too close and we all had to pursue it like a donkey does a carrot.

The point is that from an intake that year of 94 pupils, 92 swam that length at their first attempt. The large majority of us, (me included), had never swum in our lives. It just goes to show, you never know what you are capable of until you have to do it.

Show some trust in your giftees, push them in, BUT, YOU be their lifeline and provide guidance and support where necessary.

Don’t let this abundance be wasted, after all, several of you helping others must be better than just one.

Good luck to you and all your group

Regards

One waiting to give