One river gives
Its journey to the next.
We give because someone gave to us.
We give because nobody gave to us.
We give because giving has changed us.
We give because giving could have changed us.
We have been better for it,
We have been wounded by it—
Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,
Big, and small, diamond in wood-nails.
Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,
But we read this book, anyway, over and again:
Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,
Mine to yours, yours to mine.
You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.
Together we are simple green. You gave me
What you did not have, and I gave you
What I had to give—together, we made
Something greater from the difference.
Albert Rios
Just the beginning of this poem is enlightening, “One river gives its journey to the next.” As I really soak that in, I imagine the rivers as they merge together giving all they have to the next, flowing so steadily till they merge together into one giant river that gives to the ocean that gives to the air and the lifeforms that inhabit it. The air and clouds give to the land and the journey is then starting all over again.
The branches of the rivers that weave and wind to give to other areas are like the branches of my ancestral tree. Starting from many ancestors and channeled down to one branch to give me life, then branching to give my cousins, nieces and nephews life, all together they gave their journey to the next to make “something greater from the difference.”
Such an enlightening kindness, “when giving is all we have”.
~Candice C Carver
Beautiful words, Candace! I particularly like your comparison of your ancestry to the flowing rivers. It helped me feel a stronger connection to all my ancestors.
This poem is beautiful. It not only gives context to generosity but also gives it a character. The character of giving is a living entity that follows organic and fluid growth through it’s life span, and then, as a natural resource, feeds the next generation with its abundant gifts. The “difference” comes to light when generosity is returned in a new cycle, hand to hand, heart to heart, eye to eye.