It was one of those busy Saturdays where we had a lot to get done. My husband and I were focused on getting the list done and were in the car talking about nothing and everything. We witnessed something that immediately changed our focus.
We were driving by a bus stop and saw a white truck pull over to the stop. It was a cold day for Florida, the first of the fall for us.
A woman got out of her car and took her coat off and put her coat on one of the homeless men sitting at the stop who was wearing a very thin shirt.
She sat there and talked to them for a few minutes. She brought laughter and smiles to the group. She hugged the man and got back into her car and drove away.
We sat there stunned. We hadn't even seen the homeless men sitting there, let alone their need for warmer clothes.
How often has this happened to us? We are so caught up in our own needs that we really don't see the need of others around us and we miss opportunities to be our best self.
This pattern of self-absorption doesn't bring joy. It just brings continued self-absorption and stress over needless things.
This women really saw these men and saw their need and took action. She didn't see them as "homeless" she saw them as her brothers and she took care of them as her family.
Her example of humanity immediately changed my focus. She was living her life with a focus on generosity.
This woman gave me a gift. A gift of awareness. She has helped me see the world with new eyes. She inspired me to be better and to take more generous actions so I can live my life more aligned to my purpose here on earth.
Living your life looking for opportunities to lighten other's burdens, big or small, is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
Generosity is giving more than is expected or is necessary with no expectation of anything in return.
Being in the spirit of giving, and service is what creates the intention behind generosity. It takes our focus off of trying to control the world and trying to be different than we are and just focuses on what we have to give.
The lovely fact is that our creator gave all of us different gifts. But we all have been given gifts and the abilities to give and to contribute to the world.
The more contributions we make generously to the world, the more joy we create for ourselves and others.
When we prevent ourselves from showing up generously and making contributions, we miss out on an opportunity for increasing abundance.
When you have something to give and you give it freely, without expectation, you are functioning at the highest level of your humanity.
The process of giving back to the world is how we find our purpose and is how we should be functioning as human beings.
So ask yourself, where is your focus and is it bringing you joy? If it's not, forget about yourself and find someone else you can bring joy to. I promise you your joy will follow.
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