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Give Back Quotes

    “There are those who give little of the much which they have—and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
    And there are those who have little and give it all.
    These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.”

    Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet (Page 18)

      “You give but little when you give of your possessions.
      It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

      Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet (Page 18)

      Sir Wilfred Grenfell Quote on Meaning and How Service Is The Rent We Pay For Our Room On Earth

        “The service we render to others is really the rent we pay for our room on this earth. It is obvious that man is himself a traveler; that the purpose of this world is not ‘to have and to hold’ but ‘to give and to serve.’ There can be no other meaning.”

        Sir Wilfred T. Grenfell

        Beyond the Quote (313/365)

        How could the purpose of the world be ‘to have and to hold’ if nothing that we have and nothing that we hold onto will come with us at the end of our lives? It will all be left behind—every prized possession, every luxury, and every dollar. What could possibly be the purpose of hoarding it all from one part of the world to your part of the world? It will simply be hauled from your part, back, when you die. It seems futile when you really think about it.

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        Sadio Mané Quote on Luxury and How He Choses To Give Back From What He’s Been Given

          Sadio Mané Quote on Luxury and How He Choses To Give Back From What He's Been Given

          “Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches and two jet planes? What would that do for the world? I starved, I worked in the fields, I played barefoot, and I didn’t go to school. Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have built schools [and] a stadium; we provide clothes, shoes, and food for people in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people from a very poor Senegalese region in order to contribute to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips, and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me.”

          Sadio Mané

          Beyond the Quote (273/365)

          What an incredibly refreshing perspective coming from one of the worlds premier soccer players whose net worth is upwards of $15 million. Mané is someone who made it out from intense poverty-stricken conditions and could easily choose to live a life of luxury and riches that I’m sure he dreamed of when he was starving, working the fields, or playing barefoot as a young boy. But, he hasn’t forgotten his roots and he chooses instead to live his life giving back “a little of what life has given him.” But, “a little” doesn’t feel, to me, to be the right choice of words.

          Read More »Sadio Mané Quote on Luxury and How He Choses To Give Back From What He’s Been Given

            “Perhaps the most counter-intuitive truth of the universe is that the more you give to others, the more you’ll get. Understanding this is the beginning of wisdom.”

            Kevin Kelly, Blog

            Kahlil Gibran Quote on Giving To Others That Which You Most Hope To Receive (and Knowing What to Give)

              “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

              Kahlil Gibran

              Beyond the Quote (118/365)

              Once a group of 500 people were attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each person a balloon. Each person was then asked to write their name on it using a marker. Then all of the balloons were collected and put in another room.

              Read More »Kahlil Gibran Quote on Giving To Others That Which You Most Hope To Receive (and Knowing What to Give)

              Jonathan Carroll Quote on Kindness in Small Gestures

                “I firmly believe in small gestures: pay for their coffee, hold the door for strangers, over tip, smile or try to be kind even when you don’t feel like it, pay compliments, chase the kid’s runaway ball down the sidewalk and throw it back to him, try to be larger than you are— particularly when it’s difficult. People do notice, people appreciate. I appreciate it when it’s done to (for) me. Small gestures can be an effort, or actually go against our grain (“I’m not a big one for paying compliments…”), but the irony is that almost every time you make them, you feel better about yourself. For a moment life suddenly feels lighter, a bit more Gene Kelly dancing in the rain.”

                Jonathan Carroll

                Beyond the Quote (90/365)

                Don’t let ideas of the grandiose stop you from acting in thoughtful, kind ways today.  Don’t let your desire to change the whole world (or have a huge impact) stop you from doing anything at all for those who are already in your world.  Brainstorming and coming up with master plans is great, but it should never be at the expense of those who surround you throughout your brainstorming process.  Never underestimate the power of small gestures done in selfless, loving ways, for those gestures may prove to be the very foundation for so much else in your life.

                Read More »Jonathan Carroll Quote on Kindness in Small Gestures

                  “We have to continue to practice mindfulness and reconciliation until we can see a child’s body of skin and bones in Uganda or Ethiopia as our own, until the hunger and pain in the bodies of all species are our own.  Then we will have realized nondiscrimination, real love.  Then we can look at all beings with the eyes of compassion, and we can do the real work to help alleviate suffering.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step