My fellow Mormons will be familiar with the children's song: "Because I have been given much, I too must give."
In the foreign service transfer process, one's belongings arrive at the new post in waves. About two weeks after arrival, you get the air shipment. We use this for sheets, pillows, kitchenware, the computer, and clothes that we didn't want to carry all summer in suitcases.
A few weeks after that, the boat shipment arrives with everything else. Our boat shipment was delivered yesterday. As with the previous two times this happened, I found myself thinking, I have way too much stuff.
This sentiment is especially poignant in a place like Manila, where the poverty is so apparent and ubiquitous. So we were thankful to be able to pass on many clothing and toy items to our housekeeper. Madeline joined in and really got the spirit when she saw the gratitude in the recipient's eyes. We gave away much.
Even having given away much, we still have so much. More than we need. I complain sometimes. The house we were assigned is our smallest since business school. The apartment building has two swimming pools, a gym, a hot tub, a game room. And I complain that Henry has no green space to kick a soccer ball.
So it was helpful to do some giving, see the gratitude, and thereby feel some gratitude of my own.
1 comment:
Tim, I have to say how much I love your blog. I love your writing style and adventures. I know that you will come to love the people in the Philippines. When we moved to Guam, we were expecting a "poor man's Hawaii". What really confronted us was the poverty and cultural differences. There were many from the Philippines who had escaped any number of oppression's in that part of the world. We tried to assimilate but keep our "American" ways. It was quite a juggling act. However, learning the culture and history helped a lot. I know that you will all come to love it before you leave. Thank you for all of your writings. Your family is amazing and we love keeping track of you. I can't help but wonder at the education your children are receiving. What a blessing! Be safe. We know what goes on in that neck of the world. Janet Richard (Holly's mom) :)
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