Kate's a Perspective: Generosity

       I thought I knew the meaning of the word generous. It turns out, I didn't. As Americans, most of us live a life of excess. I've heard people complain because they "only" have the IPhone 5, not the 5s, and I've never thought anything of it. Our culture is all about obtaining something bigger, something better. Nothing is ever good enough. In this environment, is it ever possible for one to be completely satisfied? I thought I was a fairly generous person. I gave 10% tithe to the church out of every paycheck, I gave money to homeless people I saw. But as I've learned, I'm not. I've never given away more than I could afford. I've always had leftover money to purchase unneeded material items. Today, a seven year old girl taught me what it really means to be generous. She came up to me, pointed at the braid in my hair, and then pointed at her head. So I braided her hair, and then she stayed by my side throughout the rest of the morning session, smiling brighter than I have ever seen anyone smile every time I looked at her. This little girl lives by this place AIM calls "The Brick Factory". The kids there are by far the poorest out of all of them. They have dirt smeared on their skin and most only have one pair of clothing. Her jeans have rips and her little shirt is coming apart at the seams. We sing, dance and play and I am just so amazed at her radiance. Then she tugs on my hand and motions me to bend down. In American families it's common to kiss another family member's cheek to show affection. In Cambodia, their version of that is touching their cheek to the other person's. It's one of their highest forms of affection. I kneel down and she takes her hand, slips her tiny silver ring off her finger and onto my pinky finger. Then she touches her cheek to mine, smile, and says "Me to You". I'm used to getting handed stuff from kids. They like giving stuff like rocks and drawings, but her gift made me tear up. This little one could very likely only possess the clothes in her back, which are literally falling apart, and that ring. And she was trying to give it to me. I slip it off my finger and try to give it back to her but she shakes her head and says more firmly: "No, Me to You", puts it back on my finger, and hugs me hard. Generosity is continuing to give even if you have nothing, a lesson she learned before the age of seven and that I'm just now learning at the age of seventeen. She came back to the afternoon session and when she saw me, ran to me, put her cheek to mine, and hugged me. I thought I came here to bless the Cambodians , yet they continue to bless me so much more.