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What being generous really means
Being generous is more than giving gifts. Discover how small, sincere gestures of time, attention and kindness make a huge difference. Find out what being generous really means.
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What do we usually understand by generous?
When you think of being generous, you probably think of giving. Something tangible. Take a gift with you when you visit, or give something as a thank you for a service rendered. We all know that kind of generosity.
Generosity that costs nothing
However, there are also forms of being generous that do not cost a thing.
Such as giving a compliment, a friendly hello, or an outstretched hand. And why not donate blood?
And honestly? I have the feeling that it is precisely these forms of generosity that have become increasingly rare lately.
Why generosity seems to be becoming scarce
I can understand that people give less materially. Everything is getting more expensive, life is costing more and more. This year, the electricity bill in Belgium will increase by another ten percent, and the available budget will shrink. It is logical that people are becoming more cautious.
What I find more difficult to understand is that friendliness and warmth also seem to disappear.
A compliment costs nothing. Neither does saying hello. Yet we seem to be more economical with those small gestures than ever.
Cultural differences in giving
Maybe it’s also a bit in our nature. Belgians are not an outspoken exuberant people.
In the Netherlands, however, people say hello to each other quite spontaneously, but then again, they are remarkably sober with gifts. A pack of syrup waffles when you visit? Or a glass of water as a reception in a Dutch-run B&B, as we once experienced in the French Pyrenees. To be honest, that felt a bit sparse to me.
At the same time, I also want to be honest: the Dutch are very generous with their time and their help. No other people I know send volunteers to their B&Bs abroad in such large numbers. They go there to help renovate and refurbish their emigrated family members.
I admire that. We can definitely learn something from the Dutch.
What my grandparents taught me
My grandparents were the epitome of generosity. They had a large vegetable garden and everyone who came over (and there were many!), went home with handfuls of vegetables.
They lent garden equipment to the neighbors without hesitation.
At Saint Nicholas, Christmas and birthdays they were very generous. But most of all, they were generous with their love. They shared their time and their patience with us. That’s the kind of generosity that lingers long after the gifts are gone.
The longer I think about it, the clearer I see it:
Generosity has many faces.
The unexpected often harbors surprises. That can be a spontaneous compliment. Or it’s raising a hand in traffic to thank someone. It can also be giving blood. In choosing solidarity, rather than annoyance.
Maybe generosity just starts there. With small, well-meant ‘gestures’. And perhaps we need it more today than ever.
You can find more of these stories on my site at my stories.
Emma
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