When giving it means offering something to someone. Giving is a state of living. Giving is a special gift that is priceless, timeless and sincere. The Art of Giving is characterised by the sincere intention of the heart that always wishes to give to others rather than itself. That heart that knows that giving to others with an open heart is nurturing to itself.

The Art of Giving is something we need to access daily, if we wish to live abundant lives. What I am referring to is not the financially abundant lives which, of course, has its importance, but rather that abundance that nurtures our liveliness. Having a fulfilled life is having a life that overflows with inner peace, contentment, health and assurance that today as tomorrow can be full of what we need regardless of what comes our way. 

Giving with an open heart is easier for some than for others. Some people give because they think this is "their duty", others give because this is what they have seen in their families from a very young age, and some give just because they feel that this will fill their hearts with irreplaceable joy.

When you prepare a gift for someone, you don't have to make it extra special. Reflect for a while and think of what would make them truly happy. Imagine how they would feel.

The real meaning of the Art of Giving is somehow forgotten in our days. Giving consists not only of giving something physical, it also means giving something from a sincere heart. It could be a hug, or it could be a helping hand when life gets too busy for our close ones.
The most perfect example is of a new mother who makes everything for her children and her household without waiting for anything in return. She makes everything with joy and inner peace. She knows that by doing what she does, her heart tells her daily that she receives the most precious gift of living. She does not count the hours she spends while preparing food for her family. She is not waiting for a paycheck to do all that needs to be done in her home. She does everything with a sincere heart and with the assurance that her family will be well. 

Or a father who invests time in his relationship with his children. They play together and read together for countless hours. When asked, he answers every question to his little ones. He is giving his time because he knows the most precious gift lies in moments with his loved ones. 

Another beautiful example is a good friend who is always there for you when you need it the most, a friend who listens, and a friend who answers his/her phone even in the middle of the night if you call.

The moment you realize that giving is a gift that is offered not only to others but to yourself as well is the moment you touch the essence of giving. 

Human relationships are the hardest to build and keep. Why? Because each one of us has already designed in our minds what it means to have a good human relationship. Surely, every individual has their definition. What we must all keep in mind is the fact that no human relationship can grow without investing more in "You and I" rather than "I, I, I...."

When we manage to do more of You and I, we can also expect that the art of giving will be appropriated in our lives more easily.

Have you noticed that most people do not "dare" to invest in human relationships? Do you know why? Because they are afraid that if they invest too much, they might get hurt and feel rejected or betrayed and left behind. 

The moment we put our trust in our future relationships and believe they will work, or think that the person deserves to be trusted, our journey will get easier. 

At the same time, you must hold to the thought that you need not expect anything in return. You must expect things to evolve gradually. Rushing things will serve no one. 

The moment you access the art of giving without a "reward", your "real reward" will come toward you tenfold or more. 

As trees connect like pathways underneath the soil, we need to connect to those around us to create a really strong circuit of fulfilment and joy. As the Caring Sun shines its light upon us every single day, without waiting for anything in return, we should also give some of our light to others. We all have it inside of us.

Having this circuit of oxygen and light up and running, we can work on it more and develop other circuits. This way, we will stay interconnected with those around us. Having all these circuits working well in our lives, our wish will continue to build more of them. In other words, we will know that giving more, more pathways will develop.

By practising daily the art of giving, our hearts will be gifted with liveliness and abundance. We will also feel that we are a part of something wonderful, and we will feel safe. This is what we all are looking for. To feel that we can be of use to someone. By being of use to others, we immediately feel that we are a part of something bigger and worth belonging to.