To Be Happy, Love To Give

(Introduction. This is my plea to/for all of us: This Christmas and beyond, take it easy. Don't worry, be happy. Give to love. And, love to give. I tell you, it is liberating, inspiring, and fun. (I have done it before and I'll try to continue doing it, for as long as I can.) Yes, it changes everything for a better world, a better life to/for the rest of us.)

"Give, until it hurts." It's a statement that is powerful, meaningful, and commanding, yet inspiring.

I leave it up to you to interpret it, actualize it, live with it, if you so decide. But, as one big family of the human race, let's try to do our best to help alleviate the conditions and suffering of those underrepresented and underprivileged among us. Monetary or in-kind, big or small, our financial and moral support to charitable and/or religious organizations, social programs and projects do make a difference in other people's lives.

But a word of caution: Check out the organization/program/project, where you plan to give/donate your time, talent, and treasure, to make sure that it's legitimate and that your donation/contribution really goes to where it is intended.

Yes, my dear friends, there's joy (and life, and love, and hope) in giving! Despite our economic downturn, we have generous people in our midst who give for the sake of giving. Whether they are rich/affluent or barely making their ends meet, these people give because they find joy and happiness in sharing their 3t's (time, talent/s, treasure/s) with/to others. To them, giving isn't only about material thins. They love to volunteer, sing in a church choir, listen to a child or sick person in need of solace, comfort/company, praying for someone, going for an errand, doing simple chores for others, or doing just anything, i.e., writing/reading a poem, a short story, an article, that someone else finds it interesting, entertaining, enlightening or uplifting, and inspirational.

In Acts 20:35 of the Holy Bible, we read: "There is more happiness in giving than receiving."

Harvard University and the University of British Columbia did conduct a study in 2008 on the interrelationship of giving and feeling happiness. The report, published in a scientific journal Science, shows that people who made/gave/donated gifts to others and to charities are happier than folks who didn't give. The essence  or main point of the study's outcome was giving to others and to charity made people happier and was more important than how much money they have had. the researchers, led by psychology professor Elizabeth W. Dunn of the University of British Columbia, also found out that personal spending was unrelated to happiness.

"Happiness is a by-product of helping others," according to The Book of Positive Quotations (Compiled and Arranged by John Cook).

Let's take a look at Oprah Winfrey, considered one of the most influential women in the world today. She looks happy, and engaging, each time she hosted her ever-popular and famous TV talk show, Oprah, now retired after 25 years? of existence. (She has had her OWN---Oprah Winfrey Network.) With her wealth and prestige, she has helped, and influenced positively, a whole lots and lots of people around the world. Yes, folks, even to this day, she continues to give her best to inspire others, to give back to society what she has received: money, wealth, wisdom, fame, and success. And her strong influence continues to flourish in the person of those people/professionals/celebrities who guested in her show, like Dr. Phil Mc Graw, Dr. Mamet Oz, Rachel Ray, Nate Berkus, who have their own TV show already, and the likes of artists-singers like Josh Groban, Justin Bieber, Michael Buble, Charice Pempengco, to name a few. all of the above-mentioned personalities are now successful in their own right. All because of Oprah's total giving of herself to/for others.

Mother Teresa (1910-1997) spoke highly of charity and giving. In fact, she lived it. A whole chapter in her book, No Greater Love, published in 1997, deals with giving. "Give of your hands to serve and of your hearts to love," she said.

When she was alive, doing acts of charity with fellow nuns or "sisters" in Calcutta, India, where she founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, Mother Teresa used to say: "I do not want you to give me your abundance...I want you to give of yourself. The love you put into giving is the most important thing...I don't want people donating just to get rid of something...Giving is something different; it is sharing... I also don't want you to give me what you have left over. I want you to give from your want until you really feel it!"

One of the great humanitarians of our time, and once considered a "living saint" by many Catholics, Blessed Mother Teresa received numerous awards attesting her "self-giving" to humanity, such as the United States' Medal of Freedom, the United Nations' Albert Schweitzer Prize, and the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Now, folks, aren't we inspired to do something to be happy about? Love to give, if we believe that giving is loving, and loving is giving.

To be happy, love to give. Give to love and to be happy. Thanks for reading this piece of mine. Hey, congratulations! You've just given yourself a favor by spending your precious time with me via reading my thoughts today. (Yay, silly you, you might say!) I do hope and pray you're happy and inspired to do good for others. And with that, I thank you. I really do. And, please, spread the word. To be happy, love to give. Do it now, not later!

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to all!-chris a. quilpa, 23 Dec 2011.