While I was working on a report today I came across a picture of a beautiful pair of Celine Shoes on the web. It took me back through time. In all the years of our lives, there are certain moments that never fail to put a smile on our face. Like a pair of Red Shoes for instance; it was possibly one of the most wonderful gifts I ever received in my life.
Now what makes a gift so memorable? It definitely depends on the person who gives it along with the situational factors entwined with it. What is important is not exactly the gift itself but the purpose behind it. One would say “it’s the thought behind it that counts”.
A survey conducted by Barlow T. Mann under the auspices of the National Committee on Planned Giving (NCPG) in 2000 revealed that the desire to create a lasting memorial for oneself or a loved one motivates almost anyone human. From a graph compiled from the survey, it can be seen that a desire to give to support charity is about 97%, compared to 33% for creating a memorial for loved one and a mere 13% as a desire to give to friends and family. It thus makes me wonder that if a person can spend so much, giving wonderful gifts to known people on occasions, that person is also capable of giving a lot to charity. This country certainly needs more people like that.
Philosopher Ann Rand, states that philanthropic giving does not exist. She feels that we give gifts to others to satisfy one basic need in ourselves." The need to feel personal gratification about the physical art of giving and the emotional art of being remembered"!
I believe that we should all enjoy the art of giving! It doesn't really have to be restricted to monetary endowments, it could be as simple as a flash of smile. There might be someone out there who might always remember you for your simple generosity, perhaps throughout their life !
2 comments:
A gift in my book is anything that makes the recipient’s day. A genuine smile – is there anything more gratifying than that? Whether it comes from a stranger or someone close to you – it’s contagious.
This entry took me through time - flashbacks of pleasant moments, where I forgot all worries, etched in my mind the smiling faces of people, and the joy.
Thank you for triggering a sudden influx of endorphin Anne – wish more people felt the same way! The sad reality is, gifts for the most part don’t exist in society anymore. Rather, tools to create an impression and ascertain social connections are called ‘gifts.’
I don’t know you, but you’ve already given me one of the best gifts I’ve gotten in years through this entry!
There! My philosophical entry for the year!
To leave you with a thought:
"The spirit in which a thing is given determines that in which the debt is acknowledged; it's the intention, not the face-value of the gift, that's weighed."
-Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, 100 A.D.
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