Charity: Time, Treasure, Talent

Charity: Time, Treasure, Talent

We all know people who give to others. These people are often admired by their friends and neighbors, and described as charitable. But what does that really mean?

In essence, charity is the act of giving to others without the expectation that we will receive anything in return. Giving someone a nice present in the class Christmas gift exchange is not charity, because we know that we will get something back.

While people know charity is a good thing, because it helps those in need, there is no doubt it can be awkward. If you've ever been stopped in the street by a homeless person, or had someone collecting money show up at your door, you know the feeling. Certainly it is a lot easier to drop a check in the mail or call a telephone hotline.

But is that the only way to be charitable? Certainly giving money is a big part of being charitable. From religious organizations to crisis centers, money is always needed. With modern technology, giving of money has gotten even easier. You can text to a number on your cell phone and the donation is automatically added to your bill.

The first part of being charitable is to decide who you are going to give to. What is important to you and your family? Is it animal shelters, after school programs, medical research, or something else?

Next, decide what you are going to give. Maybe the best option really is to give money. But if you don't have money, does that mean you are out of luck?

While money is the most commonly thought of form of charity, it is certainly not the only thing. There are other methods of giving, known as the three T's – time, treasure, and talent.

Treasure, of course, is money. Maybe you throw your change in the slot on the way through the drive through, or you contribute pennies to your class collection.

But what about time? Time is certainly a valuable commodity. A lot of organizations need people to do various things. For example:

• volunteer to tutor younger kids after school
• help serve meals at a soup kitchen, or deliver meals to homebound people
• visit with the elderly at a nursing home, including reading to them
• walk dogs for a local animal shelter

Another way to be charitable is to give of our talents. Almost everybody is good at something. Perhaps you are musical, or good with tools, or have a green thumb. Here are some ways to be give of your talents:

• If you are good with tools, consider helping with Habitat for Humanity, or helping with repairs at a community center.
• If you are musical or theatrical, join a community theater group that does performances for nursing homes or young children's centers.
• Read for an after school or library program.
• Help with spring/fall cleanup, or pulling weeds at a community garden.

Whatever you choose to do, learning to give freely is a valuable and admirable trait. And you help yourself too. Studies that have been done on the subject of giving, and people who give a lot, say the same thing: Giving makes you feel good. Our brains are wired to feel good when we help others. It works in a cycle: we give and that makes us feel good, our giving helps society, which makes us feel even better, so we give more, which helps even more, and so on.

Even the very young can be charitable, and learning this cycle at an early age is key. So spend some time with your family, decide what is important to you, figure out how to give, and start giving.

You'll be glad that you did.

Oakmont Martial Arts licensed by the American Taekwondo Association, the premier North American organization dedicated to the martial arts discipline of taekwondo. They offer training for young children (Tiny Tigers, 3-5), youth (6-13), teens and adults, as well as adult fitness classes. Visit www.OakmontMartialArts.com or their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ataOakmont) for more information, or call 412-826-8004 to schedule an introductory lesson.

A software technical writer by day, Mary Sutton is the mother of two teens and has been making her living with words for over ten years. She is the author of the Hero’s Sword middle-grade fantasy series, writing as M.E. Sutton, and The Laurel Highlands Mysteries police-procedural series, writing as Liz Milliron. Visit her online at www.marysuttonauthor.com.