Quote:
Originally Posted by Cosmos  thanks royster 
Would giving because it makes you "feel good" be that same as giving because "people are looking"? |
I would suggest that
thinking about the part which makes you feel good, first, is important before you reach into your pocket. Lots of charity cans sit on the cashier's counter, and "feeling good" about contributing may seem like a good thing until you really give it some consideration. I offer that it is little more than "impulsive giving", and not a well-thought-out gifting. Just the same as throwing your change (coins) into a tip jar after paying is not really a tip. It's more like a toilet: you're not intending to say thanks, you simply toss your 8 cent change in with the rest.
There are situations where giving in plain view might be a great thing to do, as it would either be an example or inspire others to give too. For good example: I'll put a paper dollar in that tip jar. It makes Mr. 8 Cents look like the cheap scoundrel he is, but also "primes the pump" for others who see the dollar in there: they'll be more prone to add a dollar, and not 'chump change'. Being self-employed for 30 years, I have a deep appreciation of what it takes to earn a dollar. I also know that those who depend on tips to suppement their pay really need the dollar. Food servers in America (waiters, waitresses) only make a few dollars an hour BECAUSE they depend on tips.
Long before I had substantial money, I was still discerning about who and what I gave to. At Christmas time, when the Salvation Army sets up their classic red pots in front of stores, I don't stop to give: I give year-round, every day, to the world around me. I shop at Salvation Army, and I will contribute donations at a Salvation Army Store. But riding the emotional draft of Christmas is something I've never subscribed to.
When I got my inheritance, my guide spirits cautioned me at length about giving. They instructed that in some situations, giving certain people a few hundred dollars is actually enough to kill them. ( Example: A chunk of money for me, when I was still drinking, merely meant a drinking binge. Others may want to return to drug use, etc). Others have problems money will not fix. My primary gauge for giving to those I know is their needs, and also what they would not buy for themselves. And in all cases, it is never of gift of grandios stuff, but things that will help them get through this part of life.
And before I had money, I gave of myself. there are several personal sharings I have done on this forum, and people later expressed that they had similar situations, but were afraid to speak of them. By sharing my life experiences, I help others in their own tough trek through life. In "Sexual Healing For A Little Boy", what I share could be considered extremely embarrassing for some, but for me it was an exercise in
acceptance. By sharing that part of my childhood, several people
knew their own traumas were not unique, and it was a comfort for them to know that.
I am so grateful for the responses to this thread: I hadn't expected any, and certainly not as warm as you've all posted.
I also wish to say I do not
dismiss "manifesting". Clearly, I have taken a different path than many, and still reject many mainstream ideologies, but I've come to understand (and accept) that everyone's needs are different. If manifesting works for them, terrific.