Whole Living Daily

The December issue of Whole Living hit newsstands last week, but in the midst of finishing up our first issue of 2011 and prepping for and hosting Thanksgiving dinner for my family, I haven't had a chance to post about it until, well, December!

In my editor's letter, I wrote that I've been reading "The Giving Tree," Shel Silverstein’s classic children’s book, to my daughter, Nell. As you probably remember, it’s about a tree and a young boy who loves to climb it and rest in its shade.

As the boy gets older, the tree gives him anything he wants—apples to sell, branches with which to build a house, even its own trunk to be carved into a boat to sail away. After many years, the “boy” comes back an old man, and the tree despairs that he has nothing left to give him. “I do not need much now, just a quiet place to sit and rest,” the man replies. And so the tree, now a mere stump, asks him to sit. “And the tree was happy.”

Nell knows that when we get to the last page, my voice always quavers, and she twists around worriedly to inspect my eyes. What gets me every time is the tree’s implacable happiness after meeting the boy’s every desire. Try to explain that to a 4-year-old, still stuck in Piaget’s most egocentric stage of development! But the idea that one could give so selflessly and expect nothing in return is both baffling and inspiring.

December is our Giving Issue, a particularly relevant theme in this season as we are confronted with the pressure to give, give, give—to shop for presents for an ever-expanding list of recipients and donate to charities making their end-of-year appeals. We all want to do the right thing—to be magnanimous and socially responsible—but it can be so difficult to figure out how.

There’s the fear of not having enough in reserve once the basic shelter-clothing-food needs are met; guilt at not being able to help everyone (or at spending that $500 on an iPad rather than on an earthquake victim); confusion over what causes and charities we should make our priorities.

But there’s also, as Silverstein’s tree teaches, the immense gratification that comes from altruism, even when there’s a strict limit to what we can give. In fact, studies show that giving stimulates the same pleasure centers of the brain that drugs do.

Doing good feels good. But what is the right motivation? The right amount? In our December story “The Greatest Gift,” author Catherine Newman explores the complicated equations of “right giving” and offers some thought-provoking responses from religious, philosophical, and even anthropological perspectives.

This is ultimately something each person -- and each family -- needs to decide for themselves, however. So we've started a discussion board in our community where you can weigh in on how you handle your charitable giving. You might even be inspired by some of the deserving organizations that are being discussed by our members.

We also hope to give you the gift of inner peace this season. We've got tips for restoring your sanity by going Taoist and embracing the madness instead of fighting it ("The Case for Chaos");  reuniting with family without restoring old childhood dynamics ("Pushing Buttons"); and rejuvinating your mind and body with luxurious DIY spa treatments ("Stealing Beauty"). That’s a gift you have to give yourself, by the way. But sometimes that’s more than OK, too.

Alex Postman is the editor in chief of Whole Living; this blog post is excerpted from her December 2010 editor's letter. Can't find us on newsstands? Get a subscription here. We hope that our December issue is a gift you'll give yourself (or others!), and as always, we love to hear your feedback.