Generosity

One of the true blessings of life is to be generous, and to receive gifts of generous persons. Especially when this is a fluid process, where there are no secondary thoughts involved, no doubts about intentions or motives. My feeling is that it would be almost saintlike to be in a sphere where secondary feelings are not possible, and perhaps that is a strike against my character, my self doubt as a person to admit such a thing.

I have been the recipient of generosity all my life, and the memories I have of people, situations and conditions of generosity are almost unbelievable in amount and depth. The other side of the coin is to have witnessed largess, a word largely forgotten in a society which I believe would rather not recognize it. Largess is the "liberality in giving," "money or gifts bestowed," "bounty, dole or tip," "generosity of attitude," and in the archaic definition: "munificence," "a disposition to bestow lavish benefits, a generous nature." & "The lavish bestowal of gifts, entertainment, hospitality, or other benefits." These definition words are from the "New College Edition of the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language."

Charity is undoubtedly tinged by largess at times, as is giving when the giving is out of proportion to one's needs and resources.
Much of today's giving seems troubled to me, and I am disturbed for those who must receive as part of a troubled life. The documentation on "Sixty Minutes" this last week about homeless children touched on this, how the receiving of food, housing, gifts/toys and clothing was an affront to their characters, how they were belittled by the largess aspect of the giving and receiving. What will be the result of having 20 plus percent of the Nation's children homeless and hungry for our society? What will be the percentage at the end of the year? How can this be in a nation such as ours?