Over the past few days, I have been reflecting on some events that took place recently and in the past and I couldn’t help but have these persisting thoughts. These thoughts provoked a series of revelations and deep understanding for a subject that holds a dear place in my heart. These thoughts revolve around being a giver and the extent of giving, the rewards of it or lack of it, nonetheless. With these thoughts and analysis, I come to a conclusion that turned into yet another valuable lesson in my life. And so I share it with you today. 

The lesson of learning how to give and not expect something in return. There is much meaning to those words that I personally never really understood. It’s so deep that only when I had to experience profound hurt and disappointment, that I learned this important lesson.

It is true we are different individuals with various views and opinions on the subject of giving. And to each their own. Everyone must be able to live with themselves at the end of the day with the decisions they make and the paths they choose. Having said that, some people don’t believe in giving without expecting some sort of repayment. They value their time and the things they do for others and therefore, they should be getting something in return from the same person.

This can come in different forms. It could be you helping someone with something or inviting someone over your house for dinner or lending something to someone, etc. Some people may be very generous and very giving and very caring, but they are not able to apply the principle of doing the good deed and letting it go. They wait for the day they will get reciprocated with almost the same gestures. They expect it and they believe it’s only fair. Otherwise, those people will be looked down upon, judged, and in some cases get treated with disrespect and even worse ignored and cut off.

Now this may be the extreme example of people who are not able to understand the meaning of being a giver. There are those who give and don’t expect anything in return, they truly do things from their heart and they give and give until one day, they can’t anymore. They stop and assess the situation. They start to feel like fools because it seemed that others may have taken advantage of them and their kindness. And so they harden a bit and they become selective as to whom they will give and how much, still with no expectation to get anything in return, except for a bit of appreciation and gratefulness. But here is the thing, expecting appreciation is still an expectation. There is still a condition on giving. The meaning of being a giver is still not understood for those individuals.

At last, I present to you the type of people who are simply givers. Givers with no limit. Givers without expectation. Givers without return. Those who understood the true meaning of being a giver. Those who got to know who GOD is, and by that I do not need to specify any religion, because in any belief, there is one common lesson being taught. And that is to give one another with pure love. What does that really mean? Don’t just repeat the words without knowing how to apply them. Those givers on earth are the ones who will give to anyone whatever they can. It can vary from tangible to non-tangible things, from things that can be measured to things that can only be felt. You can give your time, your ears, your emotions, your hand, your support, your money, your own possessions, your skills, your advice….  the many things we can give on this earth that sometimes slips our minds.

By giving, we are gifting, and by gifting, we are making a difference in someone else’s life. So we must ask ourselves, should there be a price for that? How would you feel if someone gifted you something and waited for their payment? Is it then a gift? Or a debt? So why do we treat giving as such. We get so angry for not appreciated for the things we did for others. But the real problem here is ourselves. The real lesson here to learn is that WE must value first the things we are doing for others and the importance of it so that we can feel good about the good we do and then let it go. Just let it go. Do it because you want to not you are supposed to or should or it would be nice to or it would look good on you. This is not giving. This is commercial giving, i.e. A business. Learn the difference. If you can’t be a true giver, better you don’t at all. Better than making some broken person out there feel worse than they already do. Give with your heart, whether it will be appreciated by the other person or not, whether one day you will get something in return or not (that is also by true giving, not repayment).

This is what we call Karma. What goes around comes around. Know this very well, even your thoughts have Karma. What you think about and what you say and what you do is all in circular motion. Don’t be surprised if you get it back one day. And remember to think, say and do Good things, because karma does not have a filter. Whatever you give out, you will get back. That’s a promise from our universe.

And so this is one important lesson we must learn. To learn how to be a pure giver. Give because it’s in your power to do so. You do have blessings and you must use them. They were not meant for you to hold on to alone. Give because someone else needs and you were destined to know about this need for a reason. It was no coincidence. Give because it is in our nature so why fight it. Just remember the peace you feel when you do a good deed. That alone is a reward. Even if the person you are giving to may seem undeserving. That is not for you to decide or judge. Because you do not know the whole story. It’s not your job to change people or make them a certain way. Each individual has their purpose, has their calling. Focus on yours. No need to occupy your mind with matters that don’t concern you. You do your part and that is it.

So don’t get discouraged from giving if you have been bitten. That bite was meant to be for you to learn an important lesson. Don’t confuse the lessons that were meant for you to grow with the lessons that you were meant to give to others to grow. You may not be able to tell the difference. That is why, you learn to let it go.

Do the deed and let it go because you never know if that was your lesson or theirs. So give with no return. Understand the meaning behind it and you will feel peace. I promise you that.