The best way to learn generosity is by being close to a generous person.
I have little doubt that Jimmy Carter’s family, watching his lifelong acts of generosity, have learned the value of selfless acts themselves. Same for the family of Bill & Melinda Gates or J.K. Rowling, whose acts of financial generosity are staggering.
You don’t need to be rich, famous, or powerful to have a generous reach, though. You only need to do what you can for the people in front of you.
Volunteer in a soup kitchen. Prepare food for choirs with long rehearsals. Take in a high school student alienated from her parents, or help exchange students experience the U.S. by way of your home. Offer regular free babysitting to an infant whose mom is traveling to work near you. Or just pick up the check at a restaurant and leave a generous tip.
Be generous with your assumptions, with your resources, and with your actions, and the people who know you best will learn generosity from you.
That’s how I learned to be generous, and I desperately hope that I can put forth the same example to my children and my students.