Gifting

It has been a busy week sorting out things after buying a used chest of drawers from a local charity. They are made of beautiful dark wood and large enough to put in all the stuff that has been in baskets and crates on the floor. So I put the empty crates and baskets on the landing outside my door. A visitor claimed the baskets and a neighbours children clearing out her flat claimed the crates. What a good way to get rid of things. Your junk is often someone else’s most wanted item.

However I get many comments about this asking why I am not selling these items but giving them away. I know what it is like to have very little money so I am happy to help others and see what I give away as a gift.

But this brings me to something else about giving away and money. Many years ago when I first became a Reiki Master Teacher I checked out the current level of charges for this. I
was amazed at some of the excessive prices charged and the advertising about someone’s teaching being better than another. For me Reiki was and still is a gift, one I am willing to share with others freely. But I still get ‘flack’ from others about this saying that I can charge for my time and get money that way. It is not about money! Healing energy is not about money at all. I have this gift and I wish to share it freely and when I train Master Teachers myself I always chose students who have what I considered to be an ethical attitude. I remember looking at a web site some years ago and there were so many different
59 kinds of Reiki all charging a specific sum of money for a distant attunement and a manual. To me that kind of teaching is not teaching at all but this topic can take me down a different road so I will stop there and get back to the giving away theme.

Is it better to give something away to someone who needs it or to throw it away in the rubbish? Our rubbish tips are full of unwanted items so recycling them has to be good. Is it better for me to give away these items now or store them until after I have gone when someone else throws them away?

There are many people in our world who are in great need at the moment due to unfortunate circumstances not of their own making. I am looking through my belonging to see what else I can give away to those in need. I have lots of knitted toys to donate to children who don’t have any. Some people give things away to make themselves look good but that is not for me. I genuinely believe that I help others in one way or another. I don’t need a reward or money only the word s ‘Thank you’. This blog was originally written several years ago but has been edited to make it up to date.

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Giving

This week has been a busy week for many. Some have been finding ways of donating money to the disaster fund while others have been raising money for Children in Need. It is this latter item that has been in my thoughts for much of this week. People here in the UK are generous with their time and money, raising money for projects for those who are disadvantaged in some way, often those children with terminal illnesses. The projects give these children a better life while they are still with us and support the families too. .Others are helped by doing sporting activities to give them much needed confidence. There are so many of these projects which give comfort and hope to many. They are necessary for these children and their families.

But why do we have to raise money for them in this way? (I’m not against it but wonder why it is necessary.) In a fair, caring and supportive society, these projects would be funded with the taxes we pay to those in power. Do those in power have the right priorities? Are they spending our money in the right way? Should we put people, especially children, before other things? If we cared about each other and respected each other, then these projects would already be in place and any fund raising would provide extras not just necessities. Your thoughts on this as usual, are welcome.