Melinda (4th Grade)
Giving is Receiving
4 December, 2015
In my short life of nine years, I have now come to realize by being generous to others have benefited me in more ways than I could have imagined. That is, I receive such a sense of purpose in giving service to those in need that I cannot imagine living my life without being available to those who may be less fortunate than me. Everywhere there are people reaching out for help, and I want to participate in making their lives easier.
In school I had the opportunity to observe an act of kindness by a teacher towards a student with a disability. By supporting and encouraging him, she not only helped the student, but she also gained his respect. Respect is one of the many things that only giving shall be returned to you, however, I hadn’t realized that at the time. I was blinded by my wants and needs and not by the well being of others. As I thought about my teacher’s act of kindness, I paid more attention to everyone. I saw my friend help someone clean up a spill… another act of kindness!
At last it dawned upon me. My teacher wouldn’t have gained the student’s respect if she hadn’t helped him first. If my friend hadn’t helped another peer clean up a spill, she would never have gained another friend. This is a world of giving and helping. Never think that you won’t benefit from an act of kindness, for you’ll always get something in return. It doesn’t need to be a huge benevolent action, because no matter how small your gift is, both individuals win in the end.