generosity

 

Once you declutter a closet or room, what to do with the perfectly nice things that you no longer need?

Over the years, I’ve sold, consigned, recycled, donated, and tossed a bazillion items. But the most memorable and satisfying choice has always been the most open-hearted: to give away the good stuff.

needed

In The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own, author Joshua Becker writes:

“Our hearts were softened as we began to comprehend the number of men, women, and children in our community who live without the basic security that our household items could provide.

“In fact, to our chagrin, we realized that for years we had let some items that were desperately needed by others gather dust in our closets or basement.  And for what reason?  Just in case our supply of linens, cookware, or clothing suddenly proved to be inadequate?”

refugees

I volunteer every week at the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) here in Seattle.  I assist in an ESL (English as a Second Language) class, with refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It is a privilege to be of service to this group.  I am continually inspired by their courage, strength, good humor, and generosity. Everyone I’ve met is working phenomenally hard, learning a new language and culture while looking for entry-level jobs so they can support their families.

Even when someone in the household works full-time, these refugee families live on very little money. And so it’s particularly meaningful to me that at every class, someone offers me food during the break: homemade flat bread, dates, tea.

I cannot imagine how difficult it must be, for circumstances to be so dire due to violence or war, that the best option is to leave everything behind. Refugees leave their careers, homes, and possessions.  They leave their neighborhoods, friends, and extended family.  They leave their culture, language, foods, and traditions. Often they arrive with just the clothes they are wearing, or with one suitcase. And they start all over again, in an unfamiliar country.

open-hearted

I was inspired by Becker’s story and by the refugees I work with. And so I decided to make an open-handed, open-hearted choice.

I regularly declutter our house. However, there were items I was hanging onto – china, linens, crystal – that we didn’t use, but that felt too valuable to let go of.

But if they are packed away because I don’t need or use them, then what’s the point? Some items were wedding gifts and hand-me-downs from family. But how is it honoring the givers to keep their beautiful things in boxes?

I think my grandma would have been delighted to know that her nice china was being used by a refugee family who had to leave everything behind. She knew about hard times. She was generous.

And so I gave it all away. As a result, I have more space in my home. And I know that my lovely belonging are being used and appreciated by people whom I admire and want to support.

more

As I talked about my positive experiences, my home organizing clients and yoga students were inspired to similarly support refugee families.  As a result of their generosity, almost every week I get to deliver more nice clothes, household items, and other grandmas’ china to ReWA.

Generosity feels fabulous.