Why Giving Matters

I just heard (originally written March 2, 2009) a rebroadcast of a forum given by Arthur Brooks titled: Why Giving Matters.  His extensive research over 4 years concluded a number of important points, including the following:

·        Giving decreases stress

·        Giving increases happiness

·        Those who live their religious beliefs tend to be the most generous

·        Carter was wrong: Americans by and large are some of the most generous people anywhere

·        John D. Rockerfeller was right: the more we give, the more we seem to prosper, individually and collectively

·        We can do more for America by giving, continuing to be charitable

I found two articles he wrote which summarize some of his information: http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.27007,filter.all/pub_detail.asp

http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.29242/pub_detail.asp

He began his research to prove the theory that “you have to have money first, and then you give it away.”  Instead, he discovered that those who give really are happier and seem to prosper more.  May God bless you in your endeavors this year.

Some ideas of ways to give besides the traditional/standard ways: volunteering, being kind to our families, smiling, serving people at work, being nice in traffic.