The Pig And The Cow

Generosity: The habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return.

​In a faraway land, two animals are living on the farm—the cow and the pig. They are well taken care of by their keeper. They are fed and groomed daily; their cages are washed regularly; and once in a while, they are checked to make sure they are healthy.

But despite everything, the pig has observed one thing. So one day, he came to the cow and complained.

"People always talk about your friendliness. Well, you indeed give them milk. But they get much more from me." the pig pointed out.

"They get ham and bacon and lard, and they even cook my feet. And yet, no one likes me. To all of them, I am just a pig. Why is that?" he added.

The cow thought it over a bit and then said, "Perhaps it's because I give and share what I have while I am still alive."

The story brings us to the subject of generosity or the habit of sharing.

Generosity is defined as the habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return. It can involve an offering of time, assets, or talents to aid someone in need, especially during bad times.

When typhoon Ondoy drenched the country and left a handful of hope for some of us, our inflicted neighbors were flooded with aid and assistance. Relief operations were conducted side by side and voluntarily by individuals or groups. They shared their time in packing the goods; lent their private cars in distributing supplies; pledged cash donations; and conducted fundraising events to dole out help to others.

But being generous is not only measured through selfless giving of material goods, more so demonstrated in times of crises only. Every day gives us a chance to show it. The simple, warm, and sincere self gestures we impart to others radiate a spirit of generosity---from our smiles and hugs to the compliment we give.

So every time you forget what generosity is, remember the story of the pig and the cow that reminds us of two things; make generosity part of our everyday life and start doing it now.​