Good giving

Body and mind connections are closer than most of us realize. Here's an article claiming that we are "hard wired" to give, that our bodies react in very good ways when we give:

• acts of compassion trigger the release of oxytocin and dopamine, which produce feelings of warmth toward others, happiness and tranquility
• part of the brain involved in giving and compassion also strengthens prayer
• compassion triggers a type of brain cell which specializes in social awareness skills, like understanding the voice inflections and body language of other people
• health, optimism, reduced stress are triggered by compassion via the vagus nerve
• a study of victims of multiple sclerosis found that giving help to others benefited the helpers more than those helped

"God has designed our bodies to be compassionate." No surprise there. Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."