A Generous Life

A Generous Life

Doug Lawson speaks in "The Special Gift of Giving" about why we should donate. In Michigan's Traverse City, a study of 2,700 volunteers over ten years revealed a mortality rate 1.5 to 2 times lower than the control group.

Dr. Sheila Bennett, an anthropology professor at Columbia University, concluded from her five-year stay in Russia's Caucasus region, where people live to be 140-150 years old, that the key factors include having religion, emotional connection among residents, compassion for the weak, and respect for the elderly.

Dr. Norman Vincent Phil, who studied insurance policyholders who lived to be over 100, found that many were free from negative emotions like anger, hate, suspicion, guilt, and worry. The conclusion was that self-esteem and a positive attitude toward life were the sources of health and happiness.

In the United States, there has been a recent increase in individuals donating over $50 million, with three donations exceeding $1 billion. Bill Gates' donation exceeds $40 billion. George Bernard Shaw said, "Give away all until you die." In South Korea, as of 2001, the average donation for religious purposes was 210,000 won, while charitable donations averaged around 50,000 won. The primary reasons for charitable donations were compassion (62%), wanting to help improve society (30%), and moral obligation and responsibility (28%). The majority cited economic hardship as the reason for not donating.

A quarter of the world's population lives in poverty, with 1 billion people living on less than $1 a day. 25 million people die each year from hunger and preventable diseases. The people of Ethiopia's Gode region suffer from a 70% illiteracy rate and endure civil war, drought, famine, political oppression, poverty, infant mortality, and a deteriorating ecosystem. The world's wealth and resources are unevenly distributed, with over 70% of global wealth concentrated in only 15% of the population. This was brought about by the exploitation of industrialized countries during the late 18th century industrial revolution. Therefore, those of us reading this article cannot escape our responsibility.

The Korean national basketball team won third place at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship in Manila, Philippines, securing a spot in the 2014 World Cup. When you think of basketball, you may think of height, and when you think of height, you may think of the recently retired Seo Jang-hoon. The towering figure with a height of over 2 meters attracted many fans with his powerful basketball skills. Seo Jang-hoon was the first basketball player in Korea to exceed 2 meters in height during the 1980s and 1990s.

I still remember him like a scarecrow, tall and skinny to the point of being pitiful. Seo Jang-hoon was born tall, influenced by his father who was over 190 cm tall. He started playing basketball in middle school because of his height but quit after a few months because he didn't like the rigorous training. He wanted to live an ordinary life in high school, but he kept receiving offers because of his height. He gained attention in the basketball world not for his skills but for his height. After being scouted from Cheonan to Minjok High School in Seoul, he had no choice but to endure relentless practice. He said, "Among the players I know, many have disappeared from the basketball court because they didn't work hard, despite having exceptional talent. But luckily, I was the opposite. Because I had nothing but height, I had to work harder than anyone else to gain what others were naturally born with." After graduating from Minjok High School, he entered Chung-Ang University and became the leading figure in the legendary basketball program. Then, he became the MVP by teaming up with Han Ui-taek and Heo Jae in the pro debut team, Kia Motors, and defeated Hyundai and Samsung to win the championship. They say be careful when things are going well.

The most successful Seo Jang-hoon faced knee and ankle injuries and eventually retired. With a gentle personality, Seo Jang-hoon faced consecutive business failures due to the temptations around him after retirement. However, he gained one big insight. "There is a simple way to judge whether it is temptation or opportunity. If there is potential harm hidden in sweetness, it is highly likely to be temptation." Moreover, he faced the situation of needing aortic surgery in 2008 due to the psychological pressure and financial difficulties after undergoing heart surgery for Marfan syndrome, a rare giant disease. He dreamt of living a new life not only for himself but also for others after being saved by the Korean Heart Foundation. He didn't just dream but took action by establishing the Seo Jang-hoon Hope Foundation. He now helps neighbors suffering from heart disease and organizes the "Hope Basketball All-Star Game" every year with retired and active basketball stars to raise funds for charity.

He shows us the miracle of living a sharing life. His new life was also a miracle of sharing, and his giving others a new life is also a miracle of sharing.

Do you believe you can make your children's lives valuable with your money? The saying "A rich man who leaves the world is a person who has missed the meaning of life" comes to mind.