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| Is Generosity Always Good? |
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by Lisa B. Minn, PT - June 29, 2010
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Last weekend I saw the movie, Please Give. I didn’t love it. But I did find it intriguing. The acting was good, the characters were unique. It had amusing moments that made me chuckle and a few scenes that made me cringe. (Not the least of which was the opening scene). But I left the theater thinking, “and the moral of the story is?”
Without giving too much away, the movie is centered around themes of discontent, compassion vs. self-preservation and generosity (sometimes misdirected, sometimes lacking) toward our families, neighbors and fellow human beings.
Feeling discontentment is an all-too-human experience. Whether or not a person is initially drawn to yoga for it’s moral and emotional benefits, most of us eventually find some degree of comfort in the yamas and niyamas. We find an element of peace in the unity and grace that the philosophy of yoga offers.
But the characters in this movie didn’t appear to have any spiritual insight. There were no philosophical inquiries into the roots of their suffering. Instead each character succumbed to an act, behavior or an attitude that reflected and perhaps magnified their suffering. But the interesting thing about the movie for me, was that I couldn’t decide if I liked the characters or not. They all had weaknesses. Most were mean, petulant, rude, selfish or pathetic at some point. But at the same time, it was easy to see their vulnerabilities. It was easy to see their humanness
The movie ended in way that I found unsatisfying. But I also felt a sense of empathy toward the characters, for I think that we’re meant to recognize something of ourselves or our loved ones in them. But overall the movie left me with more questions than answers. What is generosity? Does being charitable always make us happy? Does it make a difference what we give or to whom we give? Why do some people feel guilty about being profitable while others do not? Can we be too generous? Can we give too much? Why are $200 jeans so important?
If you’ve seen the movie, I’d love to know what you thought of it. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, I want to know your thoughts on generosity, compassion and happiness.
 Lisa Minn is a licensed physical therapist and yoga enthusiast. She has been incorporating aspects of Yoga and Pilates into her physical therapy practice since 2001 and became a certified yoga instructor in 2004. Her experience ranges from working with athletes at West Point and Georgetown to instructing elderly and wheelchair-bound clients in the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. Lisa has conducted several lectures and workshops across the US, as well as in Honduras and Peru, where she volunteered her services. She currently resides and practices in Northern California. This and other articles by Lisa can be found at The Pragmatic Yogi.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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