generosity in a young Spirit

I’m so proud of mother. I’ve been watching our 18 month old son today, and I am in awe of his sense of generosity. The idea of limitedness is unknown to him. He has no concept of there being “not enough” and because of that he gives freely, assuming that there will always be enough for him as well. He gives his favourite chocolates to his sisters, his pudding he dishes out to me, and he even gives pasta to the cat. He loves to share.
I can’t help wondering when, and if, this natural yearning to give will fade. If he will start to feel like he isn’t getting enough, or that something is too good to let others try it. When will he get the survival of the fittest instinct and try to only take care of himself? Will I be able to postpone that, by feeding the joy he gets when others take part in his offerings?

It’s an interesting thing. We as a society have a perspective of babies and toddlers that isn’t fair. We have a tendency to see them as animalistic, or uncivilised. We think that they see their own wants and needs as more important than others, and that consideration has to be taught, like a subject at school. But here our son is, with an engrained instinct to share his joy with the people he loves. Hardly animalistic or primordial.
We have a small herd of goats, and on the very same day of our son’s overwhelming generosity, my husband was commenting on how our darling goats would do anything to each other to get the most grain. Animals are the first to push, shove and run over each other to get the most out of the bucket or bowl in front of them. I can’t think of any species in the animal kingdom that would stand aside and offer the feed to the ones they love.
Now I love animals. I’ve always been an animal person. When our dog left last month, for a different journey, it broke my heart and the pain still lingers, however, I find the difference in their perspective on the matters of love, very interesting.
Abraham Hicks often talk about the “beasts of our planet”. They say they are more aligned with spirit than us humans. They don’t expand the same way as us, as they don’t have the same contrasts, challenges, ups and downs, as us. They see from the perspective of spirit more often. However, I can’t help wondering now, about the missing elements of generosity, of satisfaction, of helping others and the joy of consideration.
We’ve always only had one “rule” in our house and that is of consideration. Its lead on from the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do to you.” (simplified to treat people how you WANT to be treated.) It thrills me that our little boy has been born with consideration as a pure instinct. More than instinct, an inner desire that he sees as fun and play. Did our daughters have the same instinct, and I just didn’t notice it at the time, so couldn’t foster it to the fullest? Did I assume that since they were young they were like the “beasts of the planet”? I hope not.
As it is, I will foster consideration and generosity in all our children. If they offer me things, I will take it, thankfully. I will try whatever they make up for me, and when they ask me to take the last of the chocolate, I will say thank you as well as partake in the sharing joy myself… and split it equally amongst us.