A Gift of Love
It is a month since Haiti suffered such total devastation with the earthquake that destroyed their country. But it did not destroy their spirit. I remember when we first found out about the earthquake. It made me cry. My heart broke for the people of Haiti and for their loss of their loved ones and homes. Their lives would never be the same.
But I am reminded that the Chinese symbol for crisis is also opportunity. It is an opportunity for us to practice living abundantly even in the face of our own feelings of limitations and lack. It is an opportunity for the Haitian community to feel the abundance of love, support and money from the world. Opportunity abounds here. But what does that mean? Haiti has to be totally rebuilt from the ground up. It is an opportunity for all of us to give to the Haitian community a new sense of purpose, of starting anew. The biggest thing it takes to make that happen is money.
I know money is a tough issue to talk about today, given so many people out of work, given our own financial limitations. But I would suggest to you that we can think outside our notions of lack and limitation. It isn’t about how much money you donate, it is about the belief that you can. It is about the belief that we all can make a difference. It is an act of faith, a belief in the abundance of the universe that if you give, it will be returned to you tenfold. Even if you are out of work or your circumstances and conditions in your life make you feel like you don’t have much, try donating one dollar. For someone with a little bit of money, it will be a very generous gesture on your part which has real implications for the vibration you live in around money.
When I was younger, my parents didn’t talk to me about charitable giving. They always said that I didn’t make enough money to donate anyway. In fact, I didn’t learn that my parents engaged in charitable giving until I was an adult. When I first started to donate, it made me feel a part of something bigger than myself. I began to see that there is enough money.
Everyone can do something. Give up Starbucks for a week or bring your own lunch to work and donate the money you would have spent. This is a teachable moment for our children on giving. See if your company has a program of giving and suggest the charity or need that you are passionate about.
Here is a site that lists where you can donate and rates the organizations.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1004
We all can do something. We don’t have to feel or be helpless, crying while we watch our televisions. There is action we can all take. I am posting my favorite Jewel song which reminds us that, “we are God’s hands.”
February 14th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
So true what you say about giving, and that it matters not how small… the gift of love has a magnificent reverberating and rippling effect. You never know how far a small donation or love offering can really go. You never know the height of your good deed. But you can know this, that it will positively touch another’s spirit and continue on in its many forms touching other hearts thereafter. And that is the best form of reward after all!
February 16th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Hi Susan
Great Article! Thank you for taking the time to write it and help so many people in the process. I so agree with you about everyone making a donation, no matter how small, to help these wonderful people re-build their country. I made mine through ING online banking a few weeks ago, as they match your donation and then the Federal Government of Canada also matches your donation, from what I read there, so the amount works out to be 3 times what you send.
And so true, one less Chai Latte from Starbucks for a week won’t make much of a dent in our lives but will make a huge difference in the lives of the Haitan people.
And from a law of attraction standpoint, when the Universe sees that you feel magnanimous enough to give to others from your heart, no matter what your circumstances, then you are acknowledged as one who feels they have more than enough, and more than enough comes right back to you and then some. The best thing that you can do when you are feeling strapped for money, so to speak, is to very quickly, give some away. So this is a wonderful opportunity to do just that.
Keep up the great work Susan and congratulations to you and Kristen on your continued success with your Blog Talk Radio Show at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attractthelifeyoudesire
The two of you have an excellent rapport together. The Dynamic Duo!
Very well done!
Love and blessings, Veronica
February 21st, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Susan,
Thank you for writing this wonderful post! I am a firm believer in “what goes around comes around” and “in order to receive you must first give”. Not only do I believe in this, but I consistently receive evidence of this in my life as I give to others.
In this particular instance, the giving is about money for the Haitian people. If each of us gave $1, the Haitians could make great strides in rebuilding their nation.
On a larger scope, giving doesn’t always have to be monetary. You could give a smile to a stranger to brighten their day. A helping hand to a friend in need. A shoulder for someone to cry on. Giving happens in so many forms and can be so powerful in living a life of abundance!!
Again, great post, Susan! Looking forward to more posts from you!
Blessings,
Tula
February 24th, 2010 at 1:21 am
Tula,
Thank you so much for highlighting that giving does not only have to be monetary. Giving of your time and your attention is wonderful. There is a quote from The Little Prince that says, “give what you have to give….to someone that will be more beautiful than you ever dared to think.” We may never know the effect that smile or shoulder to cry on means to someone, but it will sure make you feel blessed.
Susan
February 24th, 2010 at 1:24 am
Thanks Veronica for your comments. I love what you wrote from a law of attraction standpoint. When you are able to feel the prosperity that surrounds you and is part of you, your vibration will match that and you will begin to attract prosperity and abundance in your life. And it’s ok, because when you are living in an abundant universe, you can never take more than your share.
Thank you so much for your good wishes on our show.
Susan
February 24th, 2010 at 1:31 am
Well said Kristen! One person’s small is another person’s large. When you look at how little it takes to feed a family in another part of the world, your donation can go far. Another wonderful place to donate is Kiva. It is a micro lending bank where you lend money to entrepreneurs from across the globe. The goal is to end poverty. You can choose who will directly get your donation and they pay it back over time. You are free to reinvest in someone else’s future after that. So if you have twenty five dollars, this is the gift that keeps on giving.
Check it out at http://www.kiva.org
Susan