What does it take for one to truly be a generous person? Does it take giving big things, does it take giving many things, does it take giving once or twice or over a continuous amount of time? Does it matter who you give to or the reason behind it? Does it matter when you give it or how you give it? What is generosity? What is TRUE generosity?
Ireland…what a country or shall I say "Northern Ireland" because it is a country in itself. I remember as a child, I had this idea that the land of 4 leaf clovers and lucky charms was the very place that rainbows appeared and pots of gold rested at the ends. I have now come to the realization that this country… no, not just the country but the people IN it, they are those pots of gold.
Past experiences in my life made me carry this bitterness in my heart for being a person of generosity. Why should I give to others when they carelessly take what I have to offer with no thought? Why give time, effort, and myself to those who willingly take it and so easily dispose? After being burned so many times, I selfishly will hold onto things for the sake of just having them. One could say that I might have a problem with being generous. I could say that I do have a problem with being generous. I'm a work in progress. What I can tell you is that amongst many things, Ireland has enabled me to see generosity in a way that I would have never imagined. God has placed people in my life that are so generous that I can't help but want to change and evolve and be different. I yearn to be generous, I strive for it, I desire it.
This month, this country, these people…they have sprinkled sparkles of generosity on the tarnished colors of my heart and the funny thing is, they don't even know it. That is what generosity is…giving without knowing the impact you are truly making. It is giving without showing everyone what you did, how you did it, and when you did it. It is giving a little but always giving a lot and it is giving continuously because generosity never stops. It is giving with meaning or no meaning at all but in and through that, never giving something small. It is giving with actions and effort and heart and it ignites others to have the inspiration to start. You see, generosity is like a flame that once it is lit, others can see. It is light in the darkness so that the black will flee. This month our squad has received so much generosity through The Vineyard church. They have literally put clothes on our backs and a place to lay our head but it doesn't stop there. Many people through this church have given even more in order to make our stay in Coleraine more comfortable (as if it isn't comfortable enough.) Random pizza nights are provided along with surprise BBQ's for lunch and chocolate bars to munch on during breaks; things that are above and beyond what we signed up for. A specific man by the name of Hutch continuously gives and has blessed our squad of 52 in every way, shape, and form. We each have probably gained 5 pounds because of him. However, generosity continues on because generosity doesn't stop. You see, when others find out how and what others are giving, it sparks the idea that they too, can give. The owners of Johnston's Bar (the place where I spend my days) decided to provide our squad of 52 people a chili night. You see, that is generosity – it is giving in actions and those actions, they are supported by love because why would you give 50 strangers a free meal? Generosity is something that inspires and is fueled by love. Generous people are those pots of gold at the ends of rainbows and that gold can be passed out and multiplied and it is more than obvious that that is what is happening here in Coleraine.
I am being taught what it is to be generous on a daily basis. I am learning that we can give differently but we can always give generously and I can only hope that one day, people will say "Aubray…she is one of the most generous people I know."
