Giving, for many, is tangible: donating clothes, money, food. What if we stepped back? What if we noticed more? Listened more? Became more present?
As a therapist, I see and hear a lot. The mother who just needs a minute. The child who desperately wants their siblings to play with them. The friend who doesn’t want to burden anyone with their problems. So often, we just keep moving, quietly sitting with our own thoughts and feelings.
We can do more this season.
We can listen to an elder member of our family. We can build a fort with our kids. We can put the phone down over coffee with friends. We can ask someone how they are and actually wait for the answer.
Giving doesn't always require money. It doesn't always require hours of volunteering or adding one more thing to an already overflowing to-do list. Sometimes giving is simply giving a little bit of ourselves.
I hear people say all the time, “I would love to help, but I just don't have the time.” Life is busy. There are appointments, practices, work, meals, laundry, homework, and a million things in between. It can feel like there is nothing left to give.
What if giving didn't have to be one more thing on our list? What if we looked for the little opportunities already woven into our days?
Hold the door. Help your neighbor. Send the text you’ve been meaning to send. Let someone go ahead of you in line. Sit with a friend who is struggling. Give someone your full attention for five minutes.
These moments may feel small, but they are not insignificant.
When we extend ourselves toward another person, we step outside our own busy minds and connect with someone else. We are reminded that we have something to offer and that our presence can make a difference.
The gift goes both ways.
A small act of kindness can make someone feel seen, supported, or less alone. For the person giving, it can create connection and purpose, reminding us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.
As parents, these moments teach our children what giving looks like. When they see us help, listen, notice, and show kindness, they learn that generosity isn't just something we do during the holidays. It is a way we move through the world.
You don't have to be a parent to be a role model. Children are watching all of us. They notice the neighbor who helps, the person who listens, or the friend who shows up. Our small actions can leave an impression.
So, as you sit around the table this Thanksgiving, take a moment to look around. Look at the people sitting beside you. Who could you talk to more? Who could use a check-in? Who have you been meaning to call? Maybe someone could use a little more of your time and attention.
Maybe giving this year doesn't have to be something you wrap, buy, or donate.
Maybe it can simply be your time. Your attention. Your presence.
So, what is giving?
Maybe it's simply noticing someone and asking, “How can I make this moment a little easier for you?”
We don't have to give everything. We just have to be willing to notice the opportunities in front of us.
Because sometimes, the smallest acts of giving are the ones that stay with us the longest.
In giving a little piece of ourselves to someone else, we may find a little more of ourselves, too.