Beggarly, Friendly, And Kingly Giving, By Stephen Levine | ServiceSpace

To create an audio reading for this document, please click the button below and it will be ready in a few seconds. Generate Audio Reading The greatest gift is the act of giving itself.  Traditionally, three kinds of giving are spoken of.  There is beggarly giving, which is when we give with only one hand, still holding onto what we give.  In this kind of giving we give the least of what we have and afterward wonder whether we should have given at all. Another kind of giving is called "friendly" giving, in which we give openhandedly.  We take what we we have and share it, because it seems appropriate.  It's a clear giving. Then there's the type of giving that's called "kingly" giving.  That's when we give the best of what we have, even if none remains for ourself.  We give the best we have instinctively with graciousness.  We think of ourselves only as temporary caretakers of whatever has been provided, as owning nothing.  There is no giving; there is just the spaciousness which allows

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• Nhung Nguyen