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Life Skills: Generosity – Make a Life By “What We Give”

Teaching character and life skills to students

Winston Churchill is quoted as saying that “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”   Most people are very aware of the needs that many have in the world we live in and that need seems to be increasing on a daily basis.  Certainly even in the past couple of years we have seen a dramatic increase of individuals and families who are living at or below the poverty level.  Unemployment and difficult times have struck so many that have never experienced those difficulties previously.

But if “we make a life by what we give”, we can ask ourselves if giving generously is something that we are in the habit of doing, or just on occaision.  How have you made “time donations” in your community?  There are so many ways to affect the lives of others, even when we do not have a lot of “treasures” to give.  What are the most fulfilling ways that you have found to do that?

Do you enjoy working on feeding the hungry locally or internationally?  Is your interest in mentoring disadvantaged students or do you enjoy working with students with special needs?  Are your interest around the environment or with protection of animals in the world?  Whatever your focus, interest or love, giving of our time is satisfying to our own soul and helps others.  In regard to our children, when they learn the joys of doing for others they are also learning about gratitude for all they have been provided with, they learn how to be generous without asking anything in return.  As the adults in their lives we have the privilege of teaching them these lessons by our word and example.

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Yuxugong Temple

Main building under construction
Birdseye view courtesy of Google

I thought I’d post some pics of the temple where we train every day.

This is Yuxugong Temple. It was built in 1413 by the 3rd Ming Emperor. Today it is hard to imagine what it must have looked like then, rich with ornate buildings and lush gardens. It was expanded in the 1500s, and over the following centuries it has burned down, been rebuilt, and burned down again.

Workers are now in the process of renovating it. In 2008, when I first came here, they had just re-roofed the surrounding wall and some of the remaining stone structures. They are now rebuilding the main altars, wood structures of which nothing was left but the footings. In a few more years, it will be a proper tourist trap and we wouldn’t want to train there anymore even if were permitted to. But for now it is beautifully run-down in places, and an inspiring place to train every day.

Keyed locations: 1) Entrance gate 2) Red gate (with inner and outer courtyards where we train) 3) Location of newly rebuilt minor altar 4) Location of newly rebuilt main temple building 5) Former hospital buildings which are now our dormitories.

Red Gate, which divides the two courtyards where we train

 

 

View from dorms in the snow
View from keyed location 3 toward Red Gate
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Life Skills: Generosity – Our Time is Valuable & Appreciated By Others

Teaching character and life skills to students

When talking about giving and generosity we many time relate this to what we can give in material items.  For our children we talk about sharing toys, giving gifts or drawing a picture or card.  Learning to share these physical items is an important part of learning about friendship and even empathy, it is also important for all of us to remember that one of the most important things that we can share with others is our time.

Sharing our time, may mean taking the time to do a project or play a game with another person or it may be taking some time to make someone feel better if they are not well.  For older children learning to look for ways that we can be helpful to others and especially our family is a good way of being generous with our time.  What if we shared our time and saved a parent time by doing a chore around the home that was unexpected.  How generous it would be if we watched after a one of our siblings or helped others on a project they are working on.  Using our time to help family members is a good way to start thinking about how we can be generous outside of the family.

When we learn to give of our time to others, even when the task seems small, we are contributing a small piece of what needs to get done.  We should never say, “Oh this is nothing.”  For every little bit that we practice in giving we are helping others – whether we see the end result or not.  Our contribution of our time will have both a physical and emotional impact on those receiving our efforts.

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Life Skills: Generosity Is About Giving

Teaching character and life skills to students

 

Barbara Bush is quoted as saying, “Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life’s blood. But everyone has something to give.”

No matter how small we believe our contribution is to a person or to a cause, it may be the one small thing needed to make a big difference. We never know who we are going to touch with our gift of a personal treasure, our time or talent, or even a word of thanks. We may know the person or maybe not. It may be in passing that we demonstrate generosity that makes a difference in an individuals day.

Teaching our children from a very young age, by our example, the joy and value of giving will lead them on a path of true happiness. One of the 6 most basic human needs is connection / love, and those are only attainable by not looking at what we are getting – but rather what we are giving.

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BLS Students Make Bully Prevention Presentations

During the month of October Balanced Life Skills students made presentations at 3 schools in our area on bully prevention.  Mr. Joe was able to speak at each school and engage them in conversation about what it means to be a good friend.  The schools that have heard the message were Chesapeake Montessori, Chesapeake Academy and South Shore Elementary.  The students demonstrated courage by standing in front of their classmates and making a stand against bullying behavior.

After the presentation each student received a brochure and bookmark.  Would you like to have a presentation at your school?  Just ask Mr. Joe and he will make the banners available to you and help prepare you for your presentation.  He will even visit your school with you making the presentation.  Learn more about bullying and creating a culture of peace in school and community by joining us at Bully Prevention Partners and LIKE our Facebook page.