Be a Gracious Giver....

Despite the fact that I am afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), I can still call myself…. BLESSED! In my previous on-line blogs, I mentioned that MS has opened the doors for so many blessings to come in. I gained new friends who have all become good friends of the family. I am able to help other people (some of them people that I haven’t met at all, or can be considered as strangers). Word of mouth from acquaintances and friends that I am a loyal friend of PGH paved the way for me to refer people who are in need of quality medical care at low cost.


People see me as a generous person. Sometimes people say, I am “overly” generous to a fault - - hahaha, there is such a thing, ‘coz everything in excess is not healthy anymore. But sharing what I have and being generous truly gives me an unexplainable satisfaction from within, it makes me at peace and contented. There may have been times that other people take advantage of my kindness but I really don’t mind, thinking that I am NOT offending GOD if there are people who take advantage of me.


A Psychiatrist informed me that being a giver or generosity is NOT an inherited trait. Yet it is something that is innate. I believe kindness is NOT something that you acquire overnight but something you learn from people who are influential to you most especially during your formative years. It is not something surprising if people see me as “kind” and “generous” because I learned those positive traits from my parents. Both of them are truly givers (yes, sometimes to a fault, too) My dad doesn’t mind giving his final centavo to somebody in need. He would think of ways to help them. Where can you see a house that has an on-going renovation for 365 days just to give people work? My mom sacrificed being alone and away from home for 20 years just to give her family a life that is far more than just comfortable….

It is too unfortunate for me and my siblings that we weren’t able to meet the woman who must have influenced dad on being kind and generous - - Lola Piting. My mom said that Lola Piting was such a gracious giver. Even though she was in deep pain on her deathbed brought by cancer of the breast, Lola Piting thought nothing of pawning her jewelry just to be able to give something to a friend / relative in dire need.

I admit, I love to go shopping. But my sister can attest that I have been healed of my shopping addiction (I don’t buy 1 particular thing in different colors anymore.) If I have money, I spend. If I don’t have money, I stay at home and sleep. Some people think that I spend a lot on shopping -- yes I do! But I don’t spend everything for myself because I buy things for everyone I care for - - my family (most especially my nephews and nieces), for my friends and for people who are in need (yes, including our drivers and our yayas at home.) I don’t borrow or ask money from other people just to go shopping -- I have money given to me by my parents (most of them coming from Mom’s international “rakets”), my siblings and their spouses, relatives who know that shopping is my way of relieving stress (which is bad for MS). What I am trying to say is, I don’t ask money from others, but if people give me, I welcome the idea….If there is one person whom I ask money from, it is my mom, hahaha!!!!

Of course, I love beautiful things. I love shoes. I love clothes. I love watches. I love bags. Practically, I love everything you see in the mall. But if I buy something, it is not always for me… I share them most of the time with my sister (yes, she’s older than me but she doesn’t mind receiving my hand-me-downs) and with other people.

If there are times that I don’t have money in my wallet or my credit card has reached its limit, that signals that I have to stay home. When I have nothing to spend, I still know how to find happiness and contentment inside our home.

MS has taught me to live one day at a time and to enjoy each day to the fullest. Yes, even if you have millions of money in the bank and you have the means to buy the medicine that you need but still, there is no assurance that you will be healed from your ailment - - what can your millions do?

I believe that money really makes a difference in a person’s life but the person must use it well. Yes, you may have 100 million in the bank but tomorrow you die, what happens to your 100 million? God will not ask you how much money you have in the bank or how many mansions you have. Nor would your wealth on earth serve as a guarantee that you will be living in a mansion in heaven - - no! never!

I believe that kindness begets kindness. If you share (not only to people who are close to you but also to total strangers), what you share will come back to you at least a hundred times more. Don’t be afraid to share what you have thinking that nothing will be left for you, because God never makes the hand of a sincere giver empty - - God will always provide! God will always reciprocate the kindness that you have given to others most especially if what you share is hard-earned.

Yes, God wants us to enjoy life to the fullest. And MS has taught me that the best way for me to live my life is to make a difference in the lives of others. If there are people who would take advantage of my kindness, it is not stupidity or my fault because God knows that I just wanted to help sincerely. It is not my problem anymore if the devil dwells in other peoples’ beings. Nobody on earth is aware of a person’s real motive to others but we just have to believe that though our naked eyes can’t see, there is a God who sees everything that happens around us.

For me, there is no such thing as being “overly “generous because it is always better to be a giver and to share what you have with your family, friends, and strangers, rather than be thrifty (or perhaps, give to institutions you belong to out of obligation rather than sincerity.)

It is a lot better for me to have only 1000.00 Pesos savings as long as I have enjoyed life by sharing the 999.9 million Pesos that I have with others.

God Provides… Always!

God blesses the sincere giver!!!