The Bread in Your Cupboard

"The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has none; the money which you hoard in the bank belongs to the poor. You do wrong to everyone you could help, but fail to help." St. Basil the Great

The Bread in Your Cupboard

The quote above really has me thinking. I watch many local people in what seems like a drive to collect things. The more things the happier they are. I guess to each his own, but I always say if you have any leftover bread in your cupboard share it with those who need it. If all else fails feed the ducks.

In a world where divorce in on the rise, religion is on the decline, and many people seem to not believe in anything anymore? Why don't we believe anymore? When we were little we were head over heels about magical creatures and the first notion of giving?

We Were Born to Give

"Tangible evidence suggests that charitable giving makes people prosperous, healthy, and happy. And that on its own is a huge argument to protect institutions of giving in this country, as individuals, in communities, and as a nation. We simply do best, as a nation, when people are free and they freely give." (The Giving Gap -2006)

The majority of us Americans were shown how to give at an early age. Our first Christmas showed us how we share lots of cool things that we have with others. We get together and celebrate in the name of someone who gave life to show us the way. I don't know a lot about Hanukka but I can say that I bet there is some giving in there as well! We also have the Tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, Trick R' Treating etc. All institutions that support giving. So I ask you today to remember what it feels like growing up? Take a little, and give a lot!

-Vin Gleason is Executive Director of Therun4life.org
Online at http://www.therun4life.org