Author Unknown
I've had a great few days in Houston, spending time with one of my clients. The days have been long but rewarding. I'll be in their office again today and tomorrow, returning home late Monday night. I'm grateful for the opportunity to add value to their business, and I am glad we could get creative with our schedules.
Given how tired I am, I was running short on writing inspiration. That's when I opened my blog inspiration folder in my Notes app. It's stocked full of thoughts, ideas, and concepts for future brainstorming. But something in particular caught my eye. It was just a few sentences, but I can't figure out where it came from. I did a terrible job notating the context of this one. Here's what my note said:
"Accepting generosity, accepting appreciation, and accepting recognition are all related. As difficult as it can be to accept them, rejecting them can be a symptom of false humility and reminds me of one of my favorite quotes - "Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying." St. Vincent de Paul. Accept generosity, appreciation, and recognition when they're true and pure."
Did I write this? It's something I believe, but the sentence structure is a bit different than my style. Did Gary Hoag write this? It definitely seems like something he'd say, but I can't find any matches on his daily blog. Did Ryan Schon write this? This St. Vincent de Paul quote is embedded in Ryan's Twitter bio! But if he wrote it, I can't figure out where I pulled it from. Did I pull it out of a book? If so, there's zero chance I'll figure it out. Oh well, it shall remain a mystery.
Regardless of the source, there's so much beauty, power, and wisdom in this text. Many may find it convicting. Oddly enough, it's much, much easier to be generous than to accept the generosity of others. I know so many giving-minded people who are incapable of accepting gifts (physical or otherwise). They insist on being only on one side of the giving ledger. That's called pride, perhaps leaking into arrogance.
This is one of the many things Gary Hoag taught me nearly a decade ago. I can't be a truly generous person until I learn to sincerely receive generosity from others. After all, receiving generosity is an act of generosity in itself; you're giving the other person the opportunity to be a blessing. Rejecting the gift is the same as stomping out their generous spirit, which is a form of anti-generosity.
I think many people will struggle with this idea today. Good! Let's be challenged. Allow this to push your comfort zone. Doing so is essential in this journey toward a more generous life. Have an amazing day!
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