A Lesson on Sharing

A father often took his five-year-old son to their local, minor league hockey games. Each time they went, they saw the same homeless man in the parking lot asking for money. The first time, the son asked his dad why the man was asking for money. So, his father took the opportunity to explain homelessness. The second time, the son asked why everyone doesn’t give the homeless man some money. This gave the dad a chance to share a lesson on sharing and generosity. On the third trip to the rink, the young boy approached the homeless man, who they now knew by name and often engaged in brief, casual conversation. The boy reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small sandwich bag of coins. With a big smile, he offered the bag to the homeless man who smiled back appreciatively. At this simple yet profound act of generosity, the dad could only smile as he fought back tears.

This young boy understood abundance. He realized that he had more than others, and he had a desire to share. Abundance isn’t about wealth or excess or affluence. Abundance starts with gratitude. When you’re grateful for what you have, whether a little or a lot, you want to share it with others.

Living Generously is Good for Us

There is actually much evidence out there to support the fact that living generously is good for us! For example, in the book, The Paradox of Generosity: Giving We Receive, Grasping We Lose, the authors conclude that: “Generous financial givers are happier people.” Their research also suggests that “while money cannot buy happiness, giving it away actually associates with greater happiness.” This can be seen in the story above; the young boy, the father, and the homeless man were all positively impacted by a simple act of generosity.

It’s About the Depth of your Heart, not the Size of your Wallet

Better health and happiness are simply the side effects of generosity. At Abundance Canada, we work with some of the most generous people in Canada. For them living generously is not about the size of their wallet; it’s about the depth of their heart. They don’t give because they can — they give because they want to. They are passionate about the charities they choose to support and they eagerly seek out ways to express their generosity.

Abundance Canada offers a variety of gifting options to help people live generously. We can help you discover ways to give generously that you haven’t yet imagined, both now and later in life. Our gift planning consultants will listen to your story, identify your charitable goals and help you develop a Generosity Plan™.

Abundance Canada makes giving easy! We are 100% donor-advised and can assist you with gifts over time, gifts of stocks and mutual funds, gifts in a will and gifts to multiple charities. Contact us today to schedule a no-obligation, FREE, personal consultation.