Just like you and everybody else, I did not win MegaMillions. I did not inherit a 640 million dollar prize (might as well be called AlmostBillions), and I am not going to be able to purchase Hawaii.
My wife's dad bought everyone scratch-its for Christmas. My wife was the big winner in the family, bringing home a cool 5 dollars. We hadn't cashed that money in, so we did the day before the big MegaMillions drawing, and used those 5 dollars on 5 lottery tickets. I actually had one number right! I have never bought a lottery ticket before, and plan to very rarely.
Of course, like you, I spent a lot of time dreaming and planning about what I would do with that kind of money. After I had paid of everyone's debts and built the house I wanted and done all of that typical stuff, I'd still have like, what, 450 million dollars? (I can't remember what the cash payout was). What on earth can you do with that kind of money? You have to just give it away before it ruins you, right? How do you give it away? Do I team up with Uncle Phil and renovate the other side of Autzen? Or donate to the schools in the area? There are lots of places and causes I would want to give money, but I'd still not know what to do with that kind of change.
That got me thinking about generosity. Can someone be generous when they are giving out of excess? Like, when Cara doesn't want to finish her dinner and gives it to me, is that generous of her? Sort of, it is very kind that she thinks of me, but, it's not like she was sacrificing anything. If I gave away 300 million dollars, which is an absurd amount of money for us mortals, I would seem very generous, but really I just didn't know what else to do with it.
Maybe I am not understanding the term "generous" completely, and am confusing it with "sacrifice," but I realized that if I had won that lottery, it would really be impossible for me to be financially generous anymore. I could no longer give of my money in a way that truly impacts my own life. I could still be generous with my time and, I dunno, my good looks or something, but I feel like I would have to work to try and find ways to stay truly generous, whereas right now if I give away money, it's always money that could have bought me a video game or a cheeseburger.
I guess generosity is about the heart, and the motives behind giving. Giving to help people is still going to help them, and if you give away money when you could have used on yourself in some way, that is still generous.
I'll close with this: it bothers me that "generous" and "generosity" don't both have u's in them.
My wife's dad bought everyone scratch-its for Christmas. My wife was the big winner in the family, bringing home a cool 5 dollars. We hadn't cashed that money in, so we did the day before the big MegaMillions drawing, and used those 5 dollars on 5 lottery tickets. I actually had one number right! I have never bought a lottery ticket before, and plan to very rarely.
 |
| Our big $5 winnings. Giving people a lottery card for Christmas is like giving the gift of disappointment. |
Of course, like you, I spent a lot of time dreaming and planning about what I would do with that kind of money. After I had paid of everyone's debts and built the house I wanted and done all of that typical stuff, I'd still have like, what, 450 million dollars? (I can't remember what the cash payout was). What on earth can you do with that kind of money? You have to just give it away before it ruins you, right? How do you give it away? Do I team up with Uncle Phil and renovate the other side of Autzen? Or donate to the schools in the area? There are lots of places and causes I would want to give money, but I'd still not know what to do with that kind of change.
That got me thinking about generosity. Can someone be generous when they are giving out of excess? Like, when Cara doesn't want to finish her dinner and gives it to me, is that generous of her? Sort of, it is very kind that she thinks of me, but, it's not like she was sacrificing anything. If I gave away 300 million dollars, which is an absurd amount of money for us mortals, I would seem very generous, but really I just didn't know what else to do with it.
Maybe I am not understanding the term "generous" completely, and am confusing it with "sacrifice," but I realized that if I had won that lottery, it would really be impossible for me to be financially generous anymore. I could no longer give of my money in a way that truly impacts my own life. I could still be generous with my time and, I dunno, my good looks or something, but I feel like I would have to work to try and find ways to stay truly generous, whereas right now if I give away money, it's always money that could have bought me a video game or a cheeseburger.
I guess generosity is about the heart, and the motives behind giving. Giving to help people is still going to help them, and if you give away money when you could have used on yourself in some way, that is still generous.
I'll close with this: it bothers me that "generous" and "generosity" don't both have u's in them.
No comments:
Post a Comment