Teresa

From even before I met her, Teresa was unhesitatingly generous. 

We were those persons who knew about each other long before we ever actually met. I was working with Teresa's daughter in a former job, trying to figure out what my next move in the universe was, and her daughter told me that Teresa was working toward retirement and thought that hooking us up might be a good match for both of us. By the time we actually saw each other, we had heard so much about each other that it was like old friends reconnecting, not strangers meeting. 

Actually, by that point, she had already wholeheartedly recommended me to her manager. I think the first time I met Teresa was when that manager walked me upstairs during my interview to show me my new digs. Primarily on the power of her word, he was hiring me. 

Teresa and I hit it off well, as everyone suspected that we would. One of the things that struck me about her right away was how freely she shared. Want some of her lunch? A snack? She's going down to the cafeteria; can she buy you anything? Here, take this. She was getting rid of such-and-such; were you interested in having it? She'd bring it to you. At every turn, I felt like Teresa was freely offering me things - not in a pushy sort of way, but just as a friendly gesture. Just as a person earnestly wanting to share from her resources. 

The thing was...I was hiring into her job. I had a sense of how deep I thought those resources went. I had spent my life around lower-class and lower-middle-class persons, and I had this deep insecurity in me about taking anything from anyone. Especially anyone I thought might be scrimping to offer it to me. 

So we clashed over that a little bit. At least, in my heart, we did. But when she shows up having already acquired the thing she wants to share with you, what do you say? 

It would be a very long time before I found out that Teresa's resources were not as scarce as my own. They were not in my lower-middle-class framework. The truth is that until that time, I hadn't met very many folks with resources in their lives who didn't flaunt it. Who didn't make it a point of you knowing exactly how much they had and what a big favor it was for them to helping you out or offering you anything at all. Maybe a handful. (As I write, I'm thinking of at least one more who I absolutely must tell you about sometime.) 

But even when I found out what I had not previously known, it didn't change the way I perceived Teresa's heart. Not one bit. She still had this unhestitating generosity that just oozed out of her, this deep love for connection and for just bringing her bit alongside your bit and going together for awhile. 

And that's the kind of generosity that I want to live in the world. 

I am blessed to be in a season where I have more resources now than I used to, and though I am by no means financially rich, I am extremely wealthy. And I want to share from that wealth. But I want to share from that wealth in authentic, non-assuming ways, simply offering what I have and giving it anyway and using it to build those connections, for coming alongside, because those are the things that I love. 

And because I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of that generosity - sometimes against my will, sometimes against my insecurity, sometimes against my ability to receive well, but on the receiving end nonetheless - and the kind of connection that comes from a relationship freely given...that's an amazing gift. 

May I be such a blessing to others.