Gratitude for our Donors
As the Executive Director at Zen Caregiving Project, I have been thinking a lot about gratitude as we move into the new year. I find myself deeply moved by the generosity of our community who recognize the importance of the work we do and support us with financial gifts. The generosity you extend is uplifting. You offer me the opportunity to dwell in the warm glow that gratitude engenders.
Each evening, my wife, Kristin, and I share a practice of feeding gratitude. Before we settle in for our nighttime reading or sleep, we share with each other three things from our day we are grateful for. More often than not, our lists extend beyond just three things. This is a wonderful way of reminding ourselves of our privilege and good fortune. It is a way of ending the day on an uplifting note.
For the last several weeks, you have been included in my gratitude practice. I know that there are countless other ways to spend your hard earned money. There are many other organizations doing great work worthy of your support. And yet you choose to contribute to the work we do.
In the relationship between donor and donee, the circle of giving and receiving may not be so obvious. You send your check or make a donation online, and our staff and those whom we serve do not get to look you in the eye to acknowledge your generosity. Our warm glow of gratitude and joy is not immediately visible to you. I want you to know that your gift makes a difference. Your support inspires us to continue working to expand our impact. Your gift is a recognition of the importance of what we do. It is encouragement to persevere even when conditions make it challenging for us to get our work out there into the world. Your support is a vote of confidence.
When I began doing this work many years ago I was focused on what I could give– my energy, my time, my attention–to others. I suffered from the delusion that the benefits of serving others went one way, from me to the person I was caring for. In fact, I recall feelings of joy and lightness as I left a caregiving shift. I began to realize there was a reciprocity inherent in caregiving. I started to see I was getting as much out of the experience of serving others as they were getting. I learned it is impossible to care for others without getting something back in return.
Thank you for your financial support. And, thank you for the opportunity to experience the deep sense of connection that receiving and gratitude offers.
