Last weekend I was at a party and got into a conversation with another guest while the host was grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. She was describing how amazing the Big Green Egg smoker was. Put pork shoulder in the Big Green Egg overnight and it just fell off the bone. Later in the evening, I was having another conversation about airplane travel, and this person was adamant that the only way to fly was with Bose QC 35 noise cancelling headphones.

In both cases, I left the conversation feeling that somehow I was missing out on life a bit because I didn’t own a Big Green Egg and a pair of Bose QC 35 noise cancelling headphones.
We are pummeled every day by advertisements, social media, friends, and family members telling us that we haven’t quite arrived because we don’t have the latest something. We are led to believe that by owning the right combination of stuff we will finally reach a state of fulfillment.

Chasing after stuff, however, seems to always leave us longing for more. It’s interesting that when we decide to let go of our money and possession, we find a greater level of joy, peace, and contentment.

I can never recall hearing anyone regret giving a week to do a service project or donating money to a worthy cause. What I usually hear is how much joy this brought to the person.

What a paradox! It’s in giving that you actually get what you really want. What stories do you have about the blessings you received from giving?