givenness

Now try twisting your head a little, and take this as a premise:

Everything gives... The sun, the tree, the cat, the building, the desk, the tea, the atom... they emanate light, color, shape, smell, sturdiness, elusiveness... all kinds of quality, that the more we bracket our anti-nature attitude, the more their givenness floods into our consciousness.

Then come these inferences:

Givenness is happening all around us.

Givenness comes from a gift that keeps on giving.

Givenness is received to the extent your heart seeks it.

My knowledge of things is initiated not by me but by the things that give themselves to me.

"What gives?", or rather, "Who gives?"... there must be a source that gives, a Giver.

The Giver notices me, so It gives, I notice, so I receive.

A most fitting response to the generosity of givenness is the reciprocal generosity of giving away.

Nothing is lacking where everything is given.

Here is a gracious Chinese song titled "Dedication", that I like to translate to "Giving", with lyrics:

長路奉獻給遠方　玫瑰奉獻給愛情
Long road gives itself to the remote, rose gives itself to love 

我拿甚麼奉獻給你　我的愛人
What do I have to give you, my love

白雲奉獻給草場　江河奉獻給海洋
White cloud gives itself to greenfield, river gives itself to ocean 

我拿甚麼奉獻給你　我的朋友 

What do I have to give you, my friend   

我拿甚麼奉獻給你
What do I have to give you 

我不停的問
I keep on asking 

我不停的找
I keep on looking 

不停的想
I keep on thinking 

白鴿奉獻給藍天　星光奉獻給長夜
White dove gives itself to blue skies, star give its light to the long night 

我拿甚麼奉獻給你　我的小孩
What do I have to give you, my child 

雨季奉獻給大地　歲月奉獻給季節
Rain gives itself to the ground, time gives itself to the season 

我拿甚麼奉獻給你　我的爹娘
What do I have to give you, mom and dad?

Merry Christmas!