August 19, 2009
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Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good. (Samuel Johnson)
“Give, give, give – what is the point of having experience, knowledge, or talent if I don’t give it away? … It is in giving that I connect with others.” Isabel Allende
This is close, but it’s not quite on, in my mind. Perhaps we can give objects, but not joy, or love, or any part of ourselves. We share those things. When we share, we are not depleting ourselves of anything. And we are sharing because we are receiving an equal measure back. If I share something, I get joy back from seeing their smile, or knowing of their appreciation.
I was eating in a Cracker Barrel one time and noticed a table a ways from me where a young man and an older women were eating. It was obvious that they didn’t have much money and that eating out for them at this time was an extravagance. And they looked so serious. I don’t know what they were talking about, but it was obvious that they had experienced some kind of emotional trauma. I performed an act of random kindness by signaling the waitress and telling her that I wanted to pay their bill anonymously. I then got the bill and paid it and left before they even knew that it had been paid for them.
I tell this not to impress you with my “giving” but to illustrate my “sharing”. I not only felt good at that time, but every time that I go to that Cracker Barrel, I remember the incident and I feel good from the inside out. I didn’t “give” them a gift of a free meal, I shared with them some joy.
I am fortunate to work at a place that allows me to be generous. But I am always surprised how many of my friends will not allow me to be generous. I realize that they mean well, but they are actually depriving me of an opportunity to share some joy with them when they refuse my generosity.
If we could realize that when one is operating with a true spirit, they are not giving and depleting their resources, but rather they are sharing and participating in such a way that they are also receiving what is shared.
So, to paraphrase the above quote, I would say “Share, share, share.”
Comments (3)
First of all, I absolutely love the picture of the little girl dancing with the statue.She has the perfect stance it seems.
Secondly, I totally understand your sense of sharing. My father always said, share, and give, so you will be given, so people will share with you. Not that we needed to have anything given to us, but just his way of telling that God watches, and supplements us with His grace. This was a great post David.
@ZSA_MD - I’m glad you enjoyed. I love your picture with the sitar. You mentioned in a post that you had learned to play it but I don’t know how long ago you learned. Do you still play it? I hope so. Is there special music written that one reads to play sitar music? Or is it all by ear and improvising?
@curiousdwk - I played sitar in my youth. There was no written music at that time. It was all an understanding by the ear, and trying to match the notes with the sounds on the strings. I had stopped playing it when I came to this country. I have resumed it now, and am happy to say that there is a book with the indian notes of the seven ragas that I can practice with.