While many virtues relate to the idea of charity, the one that stands out the most to me is service. Mahatma Gandhi quoted as saying, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” When we think about serving others, we are considering giving to those in need. This month we will examine how we can share with others our Treasures, Talents & Time.
To begin with treasures, though we may not see what we have as particularly valuable. However, so many humans around the globe do not have the fortune we have of a place to sleep, food to eat, or comfortable clothes to wear. So the treasure we have may be clothes that we are no longer wearing or have grown too big to wear. Our treasure may be toys that no longer are for our age group. There may be household wares or bedding that could be shared with others.
Our treasure may be actual money that supports an emergency situation like a flood, fire or weather-related disaster. Whatever our means and ability the service we give to others is about making our community and the world a better place. We provide service to others without a thought of what we are going to get out of doing good. However, we do feel happy when we can help others.
If we want our children to grow up and be happy – teach them the gift of service to others. Teach them is about charity, volunteering to give treasure, talent, or time to those in need.
This month let’s think about the needs of those in Ellicott City, MD who lost businesses, homes, cars and two families that lost loved ones. I will be attending a meeting in Ellicott City this week to learn what the needs are for that community and see how we may be able to help.