Have you ever known a ‘joyful’ giver?

In Kahlil Gibran’s book "The Prophet," he once offered a powerful proverb, when he said, “There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.”

Have you ever known a joyful giver?

I was up early and not totally dressed when my doorbell rang the other day; I quickly grabbed some garms and opened the door, and there stood my old pal Mike Kidwiler.

"You’re up early, want some blueberry coffee?" I offered; "Don’t mind if I do," he said.

Mike and I were childhood buddies; now we’re just adult buddies growing old. We sat in the living room for a while and talked about the old days when he said, "I got something I want to show you," and went out to his truck.

When he returned, he had this thick gray piece of slate stone and he laid it on the floor before me to see. It was a beautiful piece to behold!

Mike had been given this stone by a friend and he had decided to make a grave marker for his grandmother’s sister Betty, who had only a little marker of tin with her name on it in the cemetery.

Her tiny grave marker had bothered Mike for some time, and he took that piece of slate and using a drill bit made the outline of her name’s letters with drilled dots to spell her name and dates of her birth and death; a task of many hours. It was for sure a labor of love and fitting memorial.

As I admired the piece, and told him how beautiful it was, I was reminded of a Mother Teresa saying:

"It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving."

Mike, for sure, put a lot of sweat and love in making such an alluring grave stone, and gift for someone we both loved.

He reminded me too that his generous Aunt Betty had given him and his wife, Edie, the $5 fee required for their marriage license almost 56 years ago.

More Pete: Can’t every day be like Christmas?

I’ve already concluded here that Mike’s work of love certainly brought him as much joy as it did me that morning. Betty must surely be smiling down on him.

Mike gave me a hug as he left to install the stone at the gravesite.

It’s those little gifts in life that seem to bring much joy and content to the giver; I was most proud of him and reminded of an old saying; "a hug is a great gift — one size fits all, and it’s easy to exchange."

Mike and I always end our visits with a hug.

The simple things in life and good deeds to others often represent a gift from the heart.

Let me share another story with you about giving.

This past year the town of Sharpsburg placed those banner pictures of local soldiers who served this country (during World War II through the current War on Terror) along Main Street on poles for all to see. Some 79 banners were hung by Councilmember Robbie Waters to honor these patriots.

Tim Rowland: 'Classy' restaurants have been pushing the envelope for too long

Mayor Russ Weaver and his entire Sharpsburg council are American patriots too for their ongoing support in honoring those who have served their country.

Another footnote of giving and joy lives in the hearts of Jimmy and Carolyn Waters, Robbie’s parents.

When Robbie took down the banners for winter, Carolyn carefully and diligently cleaned the front and back of each one of those 79 banners as they were respectfully displayed at the Town Hall awaiting their return to the Main Street poles for the new year and Memorial Day.

Giving does not always include money, but a respect of honor to old soldiers.

Mike and Carolyn are good stewards of giving and remembering others; if only our world had more givers.

Gibran left us another jewel in regard to giving when he reminded us:

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."

I’m thinking many of my readers are cheerful givers in one way or another.

You strive to make other people happy, by lending a helping hand when you notice someone in distress; perhaps it is a gift, a kind word, card, visit or a good deed.

Or perhaps you are a limited giver and might be encouraged by that observation and words of a wise Mahatma Ghandi:

More: Hey Rudolph, make way for a piebald buddy

‘The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.’

Be a giver today and remember Gibran’s words:

"There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.”

Amen.

Pete Waters is a Sharpsburg resident who writes for The Herald-Mail.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: ‘It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.’