This year I will be out of town for my alma mater’s first football game. I could have listed my tickets on eBay or craigslist, found the highest bidder and sold the tickets to them. I could have asked friends and family members if they wanted the tickets and then asked them to pay full price for them. Instead I offered $100 worth of tickets to a friend and asked for no money in return.
I may clip coupons and pinch my pennies on a regular basis, but every once in awhile I like to make certain that I give back at least a portion of the money I earn and save. This time around I decided I’d much rather have a friend in my seats then a stranger. Even if that stranger did pay me money to sit there.
This year I was happy to host a giveaway for my birthday. It felt really good to give to someone else on a day when I would typically just receive things. I’ve read a lot of stories lately about little kids who host charity events rather than receiving gifts on their birthdays and I love the notion of teaching young children that they are not alone in the world. I want my son to grow up counting his blessings and realizing that there are other children that don’t have as much as he does.
Over the years my husband and I have earned quite a bit of money and saved that money to buy not one but two homes and one piece of land. My son may very well grow up with three bedrooms in three different homes. I want him to understand that he is lucky, fortunate and blessed to grow up this way and that many other children are not afforded the same luxuries.
How do you teach a child that you aren’t better than someone else just because you have more money? How do you teach a child that money isn’t the goal? I want my son to recognize that money is a necessary aspect of life. If you can earn a good living and save for your goals you will lead an easier, less stressful life, but money is not the end goal. Friends and family enrich your life and nourish your soul. Sometimes sharing the money you have with those you love will bring you the most soul-fulfilling joy.
You could have all of the money in the world, but what good would it be if you had no one to share it with?
I totally agree with this philosophy. I, however, give to my church and they support a number of programs that I think are worthy. It leads to people getting help who might not otherwise have it and it’s insurance for humanity. If we can’t look out for one another, what are we?