We set Generosity on Christmas Day for obvious reasons. So many of us give more generous gifts on this day than any other. But cars with giant bows or mounds of carefully wrapped toys pale next to generosity of spirit. We should cut each other some slack, think the best rather than the worst of them, just as we’d like them to think of us. The benefit of the doubt can be a pretty liberating gift.
Sadly this is another area in which I am pretty impoverished. I’m too quick to judge, even myself. But both of my kids my kids have extremely generous spirits. I often feel embarrassed when I will make some careless or callous remark to ungenerously characterize someone, and one of them will respond along the lines of, “You don’t know that, maybe they’re just having a bad day!” It’s always clear that they’re correct and that I am unfairly generalizing based on scant information. The child is indeed father to the man.
It’s much too easy to condemn and disregard others for minor little differences and unfamiliarities. Too easy to surrender to prejudice and forget the humanity our fellow humans. Hard to remember they are family and that we should abide and forgive them – and ourselves – for our imperfections.
Holly Days is meant to be all tikkun olam: healing the world, and for me, that always starts with myself. Taking my kids example, I hope to open my heart and give my good will more freely and generously in the coming year.
Happy Generosity, and Happy Holly Days!
HOLLY DAYS 