That’s Living!

The famous analyst, Dr. Karl Menninger, once asked a very wealthy patient, “What are you going to do with all your money?” The patient replied, “Just worry about it, I guess.” “In that case,” said the doctor, “do you experience pleasure from worrying about your money?” With a deep sigh, the patient said, “No, but I feel such terror when I think of giving any of it away.”

Commenting on what he termed his patient’s “money sickness,” Dr. Menninger said, “Generous people are rarely mentally ill.” To which we can safely say, “A truly generous person rarely lacks for anything.”

In the words of one such person . . .

“My hobby is giving something away every day — something tangible — so that I will be reminded to give away the vastly more important intangible: a smile, a word of encouragement, a healing touch, an earnest prayer.”

He continued, “Every day I give away something. It may be a book or a…