Project 5: Generosity 

The impetus for this project was our reflection on "Love Languages": Task, Treasure, Time, Touch, Talk.  

The questions prompted: How is giving love a performance? Do we effectively make use of our love-language predilections? What giving-capacity might we want to grow into?

The requirement: act generously in a way that can be performed using an object(s).

My love language is quality Time. Hands-down. Coming in second, Touch (but mostly in terms of how I receive love). Examples circulated in my head of how I give these–– Time especially –– in daily life. Reciprocating back massages while watching a show with my sister, long car drives where one person has my un-diverted attention. I was having a hard time syncing my life with object-oriented performance.

The idea evolved into HOW I give. Giving is spontaneous and reflective. Giving is a response to someone's need. I plan to have time with someone when I observe the need to be with them, something that person displays prompts me to that conclusion. Or someone requires my time and I reorganize to accommodate. And this extends past Time. I don't premeditate giving of any sort. It feels most authentic to me when I offer of myself to meet another's need.

So, my giving is based on chance. It is giving up control.

Realizing that, the object clicked into place: a Fortune-Teller! As an instrument of chance and choice, it steers a playful-interaction between two people. I would make these in abundance when they trended in 5th grade! In the spirit of style, they all boasted unique designs. I would make one once more.

As my Generosity Object, it incorporated the Love Languages of Touch, Talk, and Treasure. In the critique, it mediated the interactions between each person. To some extent, this mode of chance-giving requires preparation. I came prepared with Hershey Kisses to offer if "Give a treat" was my prompt and I brought a notebook of collected quotes if "Give a thought" was selected. I'd like to approach life armed for generosity more often. Come prepared, but be flexible. 

The performative script follows:

Me: * Silently present the fortune-teller with numbers displayed *

Participant: *Number chosen*

Me: * Object opened and closed accordingly, revealing icons: hand, gift, speech bubble, and question mark *

"What do you need?"

Participant: * Selects icon *

Me: * Reveal flap to generosity-prompt *

Read aloud.

Perform.

My aim was to playfully illustrate the reciprocity and flexibility of common generosity.