Giving Gifts was inspired by three quotes:
“Buy the change you want to see in the world”
A clever variation of the quote attributed to Gandhi (that he never in said): "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Lisa was on her 3rd maternity leave (in 3 years) when she was watching Oprah and heard that quote. As someone who loves to shop and loves to shop ethically, it inspired her to start an online store in 2010. The online store brought together brands that were making a difference in the world.
Here are Gandhi's actual words:
“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi
What Gandhi said goes much deeper than be the change you want to see in the world. What he said is that if we change ourselves, the world will also change.
This is a beautiful concept. If we change the way we think and change the way we shop, to focus on buying locally and responsibly made items, the world will certainly change! It has to!
If there was one person Lisa was inspired by as a child, it was Margaret Mead. Margaret Mead was the first anthropologist and Lisa had a book about her that she read frequently when she was young and still owns! In fact, Lisa studied anthropology in university as one of her majors because of Margaret Mead!
Margaret Mead's most famous quote works well with Ghandi's: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
The other quote that inspires us daily at Giving Gifts is:
“Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it.” - Wilferd Peterson
Lisa founded Giving Gifts as a way of bringing together brands that are changing the world and local artists that are making a difference through their creations. The store is made up of dreamers, believers, courageous and cheerful planners and doers and we are committed to inspiring and leaving the world better than when we found it! When you shop at Giving Gifts you are walking with us and committed to leaving the world better than when you found it!
A gift is beautiful, but a gift with a story behind it is beautiful and meaningful.
Thanks for Giving Gifts!