Generosity

The topic for Via Scribendi this time around is Generosity.  When I read that generosity was the topic I instantly thought of my parents.

My parents are the most generous people I know, and I feel that they have taught my brother and I to be fairly generous as well.  Now, after being away from home, I see even more how generous my parents are.

When Ryan and I were home last we weren't sure what our plans were concerning moving.  I had mentioned that we might want to borrow my dad's new pick-up.  He was more than willing to let us drive it back to Colorado and use it until further notice.  When we go home my mom routinely picks stuff up for us after working 12 hours.  Last time we were in need of some Benedryl as we had forgot to bring ours.  She was super willing to go after it for us.

I like the quote I found from Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."  My parents worked hard to make a living.  But their generosity in giving is what made our lives great growing up.  My parents were giving of so many things.  My mom gave up finishing her RN degree until later in life to raise us.  She finally finished it in 2009.  My dad always drove the older cars with broken electric windows, no a/c, etc., so that my mom and eventually my brother and I could drive the cars we did.

My parents taught me to be generous.  One of the greatest things I've picked up, probably more from my mom, is that you can't take "it" with you.  Life isn't about collecting stuff.  We can't take our new cars, our iPhones, our Coach bags, etc with us when we die.  What we can take with us for life is our memories.