I learned the true meaning of liberal through generosity. We can all use that lesson. | Opinion
Out of curiosity, I looked up the word ‘liberal’ in the dictionary. According to Webster’s, liberal is defined as one who is open-minded; giving freely and unstintingly; open handedness in the giver and largeness what is given.
That definition made me proud to be described as ‘liberal’ but made me wonder why people who identify as liberal are so vilified. Aren’t open-mindedness and generosity admirable traits? Shouldn’t we all strive to be more liberal?
More open-mindedness among people would lead to less judgment. Less judgment would lead to fewer barriers that are often caused by being "different." Being open-minded allows us to put aside differences, which results in more cooperation and progress.
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More generosity can lead to feelings of good will
Psychological studies have shown that generosity tends to reduce stress, enhance one’s sense of purpose in life and fight feelings of depression. Generosity has been shown to increase a person’s lifespan. Think back to an incident in which you were truly, unselfishly generous. How did that make you feel? I bet it made you feel good in a hard-to-describe way.
When I graduated from college in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications, I had my life planned out. I was going to get a job working in the creative department of an advertising agency. (Think Darren Stevens on “Bewitched.”) Unfortunately, that dream quickly fizzled out, as I was unable to find work in that field. With student loans that would soon be due, I had to do something. I went to the university’s placement office for assistance. After describing my dilemma, I was asked what else I enjoyed. Without thinking, I said, “I like helping people.” Just like that, a career in social services was born.
I worked in social services for over 30 years.
I never got rich in a monetary sense, but I consider myself rich in the human experience. I was able to improve the lives of the less fortunate on countless occasions. I met people from different walks of life, people who had lived different experiences than me, people who had different ideologies than me. None of those differences mattered. Skin color, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation; none of that mattered. Help was needed and I could offer that.
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At what stage in life does a person become ‘liberal’? In my experience, a person is born that way.
When my daughter was 5 years old and in kindergarten, we were shopping one weekend and she fell in love with a 101 Dalmatians fleece jacket. The jacket was expensive but when I saw how much she loved it, I splurged and bought it. She could not wait to wear the new jacket to school.
The following Monday, my daughter proudly set out for school in her new jacket. When she got home from school that afternoon, I noticed she was not wearing the jacket. I asked if she left it at school. My daughter told me that a little girl in her class didn’t have a jacket and was cold on the playground so she gave it to her.
I reminded her how much she loved that jacket. She said, “I know, Mommy, but she loved it, too, and I have other jackets. She doesn’t.”
At only 5 years old, my daughter met the definition of being "liberal." Imagine what this world would be like if we all applied the word ‘liberal’ as it is defined.
Vicki Horn recently retired from the State of Tennessee after a 30 year career in social services.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opinion: Learning the true meaning of liberal through acts of kindness
