A NOTE ON CHARITY

A note on charity

something for which the world has no greater need

when considering charity

Give your money yes, but Give your time also

Give your possessions and your profession

Give your passion and your skills, your talents and expertise

be it in the garden, the kitchen, the studio, or the temple

put your hands to work, in ways to benefit your neighbor

give as the nurse does during the 11th hour

digging deep for more caregiving

give as the bus driver near the end of the route

giving just a bit further

give as the teacher, giving themselves 

to the 100’th child, as if she were the first

Giving second chances and Giving validation

Giving company when needed and giving room when not

Give your hand to the man below you

And connect him to the man above

Giving Patience to those who push it

Giving Understanding to other perspectives

Giving kindness and compassion as if they flow 

from a bottomless well because if tapped

you’ll find that they do

Give no attention to those who preach it

and give willingly of your love to all who need it

one need not perform miracles

giving gentleness can be as miraculous

one need not perform resurrections

an afternoon and an attentive ear

can raise as many fallen soldiers

give respect to all life, as it is all sacred

give honor to all death, as it is always tragic

give recognition to all homelands,

all holy lands, all flags, and all fathers

give recognition for the single human family

and the single human home, Earth, a house that is burning

around a family that is yearning, for an answer on how to live

the only answer is to give

To your enemy, give mercy and forgiveness

As you walk the fields of battle, Give surrender

To the hungry, give your food and drink

Not beside the table prepared, but in the valley of the shadow

Not when your cup is full, but when there is only one drop left

Give that drop, to your neighbor, and give thanks for the ability to do so

to those seeking solutions, why not charity?

because all the love in the world will never save us

if all we ever give is hate-

… give love