HEALTHY ATTITUDES: CHRISTMAS GIVING

Duke University Divinity School

This morning I came across the website of an artist-in-residence at Duke University Divinity School.  His name is Malcom Guite, an Anglican priest and academic with degrees from Cambridge University. I ran across his name by accident.  He is local this semester and a class he is teaching sounds interesting to this English major. But what caught my attention is his personal fund-raising page, highlighted in bold on an orange background, which says:  ⛾ BUY ME A COFFEE 

A Brit, he wants people to send him £5 a pop, or multiples of £5, in the pretext of buying him a cup of coffee.  No reason is given.  He is not poor.  

This poet/priest/songwriter has a paid position at Cambridge University in England and a paid position at Duke University here in Durham.  He writes and sells books. He is prolific. He is available for speaking and other gigs, as he says. He is educated, talented and employed.  (As a seasonal aside, he looks like Santa Clause.)

So why does he have his hand out like a person in need?  Why is he panhandling online for money?  Not money for a cause, mind you, but for himself. Readers send him two coffees, six coffees and more.  No doubt many of the contributors have less income than he. 

I have respect for those who stand in the cold on street corners.  It is not an enviable way to survive.  Some may be deserving, some not, but my instinct is to give all the benefit of the doubt.  Some are veterans.  Some have mental health problems.  There but for the grace of God go many of us.  We need social safety nets.  We need to take care of each other.   

I think I know why this solicitation bothers me. It's because there are so many in need, so many good causes and we are all stretched thin in giving.  Food banks, Toys for Tots, gift bags for our deployed, you name it.  This is the month when our generosity peaks. 

And I run across this busy academic shamelessly asking for pocket money.  I may read his poetry this season, but I won't be clicking him a fancy coffee or two.  

Now, note to self:  let this go.  Move on. There's so much more important.  (And maybe after a week or so delete this post.)