“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa
When it comes to giving back to others, a truer statement couldn’t be made. Charity isn’t just something a community is supposed to do, but it is something it needs to do. Because at any moment, it could be us in the position of needing help.
Most of the time, people look at charity through a lens of pity. In fact, many people use those words synonymously, as if those who are in need of extra help deserve to be looked down upon, as if those who ask for help have lost their dignity. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Sometimes our neighbors are put into situations that they weren’t prepared for, sometimes in the matter of hours. As a society, we think it will never happen to us, until it does. In times like that, we should be able to rely on our neighbors.
There are hundreds of editorials and essays that say people should give to charity because “it makes them feel good about themselves,” which, in essence, is true. People feel good when they do things for others. However, hate and pity can be inflated if the only reason behind doing something good is to feel good about yourself, because then, there isn’t much good happening at all.
To be clear, this isn’t some self-riotous way of saying that you need to be perfect to be charitable. A charitable donation is just that, and no matter what the intention behind it is, it will still help somebody who truly needs it. However, behind every charitable donation should be love in the heart. Not pity on the mind, not tax write-offs in the future, not positive PR on the brain.
All in all, being philanthropic should be a natural urge, not an obligation. But if you are charitable by obligation, or simply for the residual benefits, be sure it comes from a place of love and care for those who would be charitable for you if such a need arose.
