I Learned to Give Not Because I Have Much...

"I learned to give not because I have much, but because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing."
I saw this quote earlier today and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I have always felt the desire to give and I always feel badly when I can not, whether it be a birthday gift or a charity contribution. Maybe it's cliché and I'm sure some will find it hard to believe, but I truly enjoy giving more than receiving. When I am unable to give, I feel as if something has been taken away from me.
I know this isn't true for everyone, but it has been my experience that those who have less tend to give more often than those who have plenty. I have seen a man with empty pockets give the shirt off his back to another man simply because he liked the shirt. I have also seen a very wealthy woman tell a less fortunate, yet trustworthy, woman that she didn't have money to lend until the end of the month.
This isn't to say that every poor man is generous and every wealthy man is greedy, because that certainly isn't the case. But I have seen more people who have less give more easily than those who have plenty. Perhaps it is because those who have little know what it's like to struggle. Or maybe some are afraid to give too much because they too know what it's like to have little and have a fear of losing what they have earned.
Everyone reacts to situations differently. While some children of child abusers grow up to become role model parents, others follow the same path their parents were on and abuse their children, as well, while others still are afraid to have children at all for fear of failing.
In the end, I believe that everyone should help one another whenever they are able. Personally, I ask God on a daily basis to give me the opportunity to bless others. I want to help those in need in some way, not because I want something in return, but because I know what it's like to struggle. I know that even the smallest gesture can make someone's struggles a little easier and if I'm able to do that for one person, I believe that's a wonderful thing.
...and that leads me to a couple other ideas that will be brewing until next time!