Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT April 11th 2025

19 Comments

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read a poem “When Giving Is All We Have” by Alberto Ríos, posted below.

Our prompt was: “We give because...”

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When Giving Is All We Have 
Alberto Ríos 1952 –
                                           One river gives
                                           Its journey to the next.

We give because someone gave to us.
We give because nobody gave to us.

We give because giving has changed us.
We give because giving could have changed us.

We have been better for it,
We have been wounded by it—

Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,
Big, though small, diamond in wood-nails.

Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,
But we read this book, anyway, over and again:

Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,
Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.
Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you
What I had to give—together, we made

Something greater from the difference.
 

Copyright © 2014 by Alberto Ríos. Used with permission of the author.

19 thoughts on “Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT April 11th 2025”

  1. rehavia6's avatar rehavia6

    We Give Because

    We give because we can create a better world

    We give because we have something to offer

    We give because it makes us better people

    We give because there is so much need

    We give because  together we can make a difference

    We give because one small act can grow into another

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    • al3793's avatar al3793

      “One small act can grow into another.” Your speaker takes me back into the poem and the poet’s message. Going out of ourselves makes us better and serves other. The closing line is brings me full circle, we create a better world one small act upon another small act.

      Thank you for this and participating today.

      Andre

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • michele348's avatar michele348

      Your words direct us to the generosity given by many. It is a calling that pulls on the heart. Oh, if only it was felt by others.

      Like

      Reply
  2. al3793's avatar al3793

    Prompt: We give because…

    …sometime, somewhere it clicks inside of us that giving is good and
    the pursuit of goodness is good for us and others
    we were taught by someone and it did not start with words
    it started with
    “when I was hungry someone fed me”
    “when I was wet and messy someone changed me”
    “when I needed love someone held me close and loved me”
    and if we are nurtured through the bumps in life’s road
    and weren’t handed toxic giving that bruises and wounds
    we learn to keep on giving such that
    we can feed someone when we have no food
    we can give our shirt to someone when we only have only one shirt
    we can love another in the midst of being unlovable
    we or they

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    • Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

      Andre, your piece reminds me of the importance of how we learn by observing actions. All the more powerful when actions and words are combined.… What a combo. Thanks for facilitating this session and sharing your work.

      Like

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      • al3793's avatar al3793

        You are welcome, Elizabeth. Thank you for participating and contributing your clear and humane insights. It think this poem attended to something very necessary especially the way it counteracts the toxicity of what is going on in our society today.

        Interestingly, Lynne, Natalia and Mary presented this poem in October 2020.

        Thank you.

        Andre

        Like

    • michele348's avatar michele348

      We imitate what we are exposed to, especially in formative years. If love and generosity are prevalent, they become the norm. If, on the other hand, we are exposed early and continually to the darker side of life, we have no one to use as role models. We are left to imitate what we see and experience, not knowing any other way. It becomes only the self, rather the other.

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  3. michele348's avatar michele348

    We give because~~~

    We give because there is a longing within our hearts,
    a need to express what we feel.

    She, at the moment of my birth,
    gave me love,
    gave me life.

    She was always there to nurture, to protect,
    to guide me when my choices weren’t the best.
    She was there to encourage
    when my hope faltered,
    and when the sun was hidden behind dark clouds.
    I was never alone.

    Then one day, I was.
    She passed from her earth’s journey
    and I mourned the loss.
    But as my tears subsided,
    I knew her wish for me
    would be to continue on,
    and to thrive.

    She had taught me well through her example
    as wife, mother, and friend.
    With my own children, I strive to follow
    in her footsteps,
    to the best of my ability.

    As she looks down upon me,
    I like to think she’s grinning and saying,
    “Not half bad!”

    Like

    Reply
    • Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

      Michele, I enjoyed the richness of your piece and the lightness of your ending. The power of the mother figure is so evident in your work. Thank you for sharing such heartfelt thoughts.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • al3793's avatar al3793

      Michele, it is interesting that we both went right back to the beginning recognizing our first lessons about giving. Your speaker’s comment that “she taught me well enough” reflects an honest self assessment as well as the comment that closes your piece, “Not half bad”. Life is complicated as is parenting and as is being a life partner among many vocational options. Bruce Springsteen commented about telling his stories in his music that, “you do the best you can and you learn to live with it.” Thank you for posting your piece. Andre

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • michele348's avatar michele348

        Apparently, I share something in common with “The Boss”, that’s not doing too badly! 🙂

        And yes, usually a parent serves as our first exposure to the act of giving without expecting anything in return. She did this every day of her life, whether you were a family member or a stranger. She set the bar high.

        And yes, we often start with similar concepts…is there telepathy going on??

        Like

  4. Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

    We give because…

    We were taught to give

    No one gave us anything.

    It makes you happy.

    It makes me happy.

    It is a popular thing to do.

    It is a religious thing to do.

    It is easy.

    It is a challenge.

    Interesting to note that most of the time we don’t even think about it,

    We just do it!

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    • al3793's avatar al3793

      The most compelling testament to “we just do it” is the image of people going back into the WTC to try and rescue others. “Most of the time we don’t even think about it.” Your speaker captures the conflict of “It is easy. It is a challenge” and takes me back to the nuance embedded in the middle of the poem.

      Thank you.

      Andre

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      Reply
      • Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

        Andre, there are 2 sides to every coin. Also, one day, something could seem easy to us and the same thing could seem difficult the next day, or even the next hour. This is to be human.

        Like

    • michele348's avatar michele348

      “We just do it”… a natural reflex of giving aid, comfort, and love to others. If only this were as natural a reflex as scratching a mosquito bite… what a beautiful world this would be.

      Like

      Reply
      • Elizabeth's avatar Elizabeth

        Michele, there are some people that it really is natural for them to give. We are lucky to have them in our lives and in this world. And there anre others that can be taught, and then there are those that require a lot of work, but the optimist in me is hopeful, even for them.

        Liked by 1 person

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