The Gift
“Whatever we have been given is supposed to be given away again, not kept. The only essential is this – the gift must always move.”
Lewis Hyde
We’ve all experienced the commodification of natural resources, from drinking water, to air waves, to the human genome. But, what moves the heart, replenishes the soul and thrills the senses should never become part of the marketplace. We are deeply touched by things that have no price.
Giving without expectation of return begins with the example of nature. What nature gives to us is influenced by what we give back to nature. Give and take, hand in hand, circular and reciprocal. Nature is transcendent commerce. To give without expectation of getting something back, not even good karma or a simple “thank you” is a testament of the depth and breath of our humanity.
Attachment or possessiveness divides the world into me and everyone else. To be non-attached is to understand that we are never separate from nature or each other – the giver and receiver are the same. Lately, I’ve been wondering about my own personal giving history. Am I voluntarily giving emotional, spiritual or material wealth without manipulation? Am I giving in order to receive? Am I giving in order to feel good about myself? In answering these questions I’ve come to understand pure giving is about connection. It begins with giving to one another, to our families, to our community, to the natural world, all that is price-less.
In her Journal of Solitude,, May Sarton wrote, ” There is only one real deprivation I decided this morning, and that is not to be able to give one’s gifts to those one loves the most.”
