opinion
44 • June 2013
True generosity extends far beyond the money
When you hear the word “generosity,” what comes to mind? Celebrities, maybe? Like Taylor Swift, who was recently named the most charitable celebrity for giving $4 million (of the $57 million she earned in 2012) to the Country Music Hall of Fame, along with other donations. I can’t say if Taylor’s giving requires any sacrifice on her part — doing without a new outfit, a new hairstyle or a vacation. But I would say that true generosity is not just about giving money. Let me tell you about another musician whose life exemplifies what I consider the truest form of generosity: Giving up something that would make our life more comfortable in order to bless the lives of others. He lived in Detroit, raising his young daughters as a single dad and bluecollar worker. At night, he played in clubs where a recording company invited him to make an album. In the ’70s he sold about six copies in the USA. By all accounts, his music career was a failure. But wait. Cross the ocean to South Africa, where someone made a bootleg copy of his music. During the years of Apartheid, it sold millions. Everyone knew him as “Sugar Man,” everyone sang his lyrics, but rumors circulated that he had killed himself. One fan decided to find out. After years of searching, he discovered Regan Rodriguez still working construction in Detroit and brought him to South Africa. Rodriguez played sold-out crowds of 20,000 or more in several cities. He came home with fans, fame and funds. But he returned to his inner-city home, back to his job tearing out wet carpet and rotting drywall, and he gave what he had to help others. You can watch the documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” for more about this remarkably generous man. We are fortunate to live in a place where
About the Opinion Page The Splash opinion page is intended to be a community forum for discussing local issues. Please interact with us by sending a le er to the editor or Liberty Lake Voices guest column for considera on. Le ers to the editor of no more than 350 words or guest columns of about 700 words should be emailed to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Views expressed in signed columns or le ers do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or its staff. Editorials, which appear under the heading "Splash Editorial," represent the voice of The Splash and are wri en by Editor/Publisher Josh Johnson.
The Splash
Editorial Cartoon
By Shaun Lorraine Brown splash guest column
generous people walk the streets around us and live in the house next door. What makes a person choose to be generous? I believe all of humankind is selfish by nature, instinctively looking first to our own needs. But forces and examples in the world can help us overcome our selfish nature. For my family, going to church provides constant reminders of the value of living generously. We learn about Jesus Christ, who lived humbly without comforts or worldly praise and spent his days to love, teach and heal. He ultimately gave his life so ours could be washed clean from our mistakes. We hear that a Christ-like life of generosity brings greater fulfillment in our own lives, but we have to test the theory for ourselves. My daughter is a great example to our family, giving of her free time to tutor a classmate this school year. Last month, I saw her school counselor at a track meet. He said to me, “Because of your daughter, that student will graduate from high school.” Another example is a 19-year-old family friend who shares freely the musical talent he has spent countless hours to develop. Last month, I mentioned wanting to combine two songs into a vocal arrangement for a church performance. He came over a few days later, having written the entire accompaniment complete with key changes and transitions. Think of the Boy Scouts of America with its slogan, “Do a good turn daily.” On a grand and granular scale, millions of boys are taught to show generosity by sacrificing their own time to help others. Knocking at doors every November, they gather thousands of canned goods to feed local families. As I drive through Liberty Lake, I count five flag poles installed by scouts who could have been playing Frisbee or watching a movie with friends instead. At neighborhood schools, I see them digging dirt, hauling sand and pouring concrete to improve athletic facilities. These are boys we know will open the door for us or help load our car without being asked, because they have been taught, and have tested, the theory of generosity. They’ve made it a part of who they are.
Letters to the Editor Is community-wide yard sale event really necessary? The Liberty Lake Community Yard Sales is always something to behold. I personally try to avoid it by finding somewhere else to be for the day. It just amazes me how the people of Spokane and Idaho can come into our community and leave our streets full of cigarette butts and loaded diapers at the curb. Personally, I hate the garage sale thing. I understand the feeling of community that some people think we need, but there are those of us that feel our private space is being invaded by having strangers on our streets. Maybe my opinion is that of a snobby Liberty Laker; I don’t mean it to be. I just like our community the way it is without the wadded-up diapers at my curb.
Randy Walker
Liberty Lake
Thanks to partners who made historical display possible The Liberty Lake Historical Society would like to thank Greenstone Commercial and Wayne Frost along with Mountain Dog Sign Company and Marshon Kempf. This summer’s historical display in the Liberty Lake Municipal Library is being sponsored by Greenstone and designed and printed by Mountain Dog. The display, titled “Liberty Lake Through Colored Post Cards,” will be presented at the library the week of July 8 through August. This fall, the display will be installed permanently at the Meadowwood Technology Campus.
Ross Schneidmiller
President, Liberty Lake Historical Society
“As I drive through Liberty Lake, I count five flag poles installed by scouts who could have been playing Frisbee or watching a movie with friends instead. ... They have been taught, and have tested, the theory of generosity. They’ve made it a part of who they are.” Whether we have millions to give, or just time and talents to share, the choice to be generous is ours to make. And the rewards flow freely for all who exhibit true generosity in any form. Test the theory for yourself. Shaun Lorraine Brown is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a mother of five children. Her three sons are members of the Boy Scouts of America, and her two daughters have
often become honorary scouts on Scouting for Food Saturday and many Eagle service projects. Her husband, Nathan, and son, Kyle, served two years as missionaries in France, and her son, Drew, is serving a twoyear stint as a missionary to the people of Taiwan. Brown wrote this column as part of a monthly series highlighting the Partners Advancing Character Education (PACE) character trait of the month that appears in The Splash and other PACE partner publications. The trait for July is generosity.