What Will You Give?
December is a busy month. It's busy for families, for community groups, for businesses - everyone is busy. It's also a time where a lot of giving is happening. There are over 30 different holidays that are celebrated in December. Cultures, religions and traditions from around the world tend to see December as a particular time of contemplation, coming together, sharing and connecting. And regardless of what events you might celebrate or observe, in the midst of it all lingers a question: what will you give? It's tempting to reach for easy answers and obvious "winner" ideas for the people that matter in your world. But sometimes it's worth stretching a little and working with a bigger context. When we work with families who want to be meaningful and deliberate about how they use their wealth, and how they prepare their family, or encourage their family to be great stewards of their wealth, giving invariably comes up. How should a person give? What has the best impact? Is there a way to think about giving that we should know about? There are a lot of questions. So, for this season, let us offer a few thoughts to you about giving.
Giving, is ultimately about feelings. Now, we're not getting all mushy on you here, but when you give, you tend to either feel good about the act of giving, or you feel good about the effect of giving (or both). So, what do you want to feel? What do you want other people to feel? Focus on that as you think about what you might give.
Give learning. When you can give other people an opportunity to learn something that will serve them, you have a big impact. There are two ways to look at this - what will the giver learn, and what can the person receiving the gift learn? It's an interesting way to look at it.
Give experiences. "Stuff" is good, but experiences often have an impact that other kinds of giving don't quite have. Experiences can have a big range, from simple family gatherings (think "movie night") to rather grand expedition-class events. Regardless of the extent of the experience you give, it can create a level of connection and a memory that echoes for a long, long time.
Give stories. Our histories get lost. There are stories in your family that will disappear unless someone (you) does something to preserve them, to share them. Take some time to document and share the stories of your family. How did it come to be the way it is? What lessons were learned? Who should be remembered and why? What must be protected in the future?
We're all blessed (regardless how tough things may seem, sometimes) to live where we live, and enjoy the lives we enjoy. Take in the holidays, and think about, "what will you give?"
