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A teacher shared a simple gift a student gave her, and it's seriously the sweetest thing.

A child gave a teacher a simple gift that's bringing people to tears.

It's not what you give, but the thought and sacrifice behind what you give that counts. And this gift a teacher received is so thoughtful and sacrificial it hurts.

Facebook user and elementary school teacher Rachel Uretsky-Pratt shared a photo of a gift one her students gave her—a simple bag of Lucky Charms marshmallows—along with a description of how it was given to her:


To help put your life into perspective: Today was the last day before our winter break. We will have two weeks off to...

Posted by Rachel Uretsky-Pratt on Wednesday, December 19, 2018
"To help put your life into perspective: Today was the last day before our winter break. We will have two weeks off to rest with our families and loved ones over the holidays then head back to school in 2019.With it being the day before break and Christmas right around the corner, most teachers bring their kiddos something such as books or little treats and occasionally in return receive something from their students.Today I received some chocolates, sweet handmade notes, some jewelry, but these Lucky Charm marshmallows stood out to me the most.You see, 100% of my school is on free/reduced lunch. They also get free breakfast at school every day of the school week. This kiddo wanted to get my something so badly, but had nothing to give.So rather than give me nothing, this student opened up her free breakfast cereal this morning, took the packaging of her spork, straw, and napkin, and finally took the time to take every marshmallow out of her cereal to put in a bag—for me. Be grateful for what you have, and what others give you. It all truly comes from the deepest parts of their hearts. Happy Holidays. 💕

How unbelievably sweet. I can just picture this student sitting carefully pulling the marshmallows from her cereal—obviously the best part—and carefully wrapping them up for her beloved teacher.

Oof, my heart.

It doesn't matter how much a present costs. This student doesn't have much, yet she was willing to give up one of the pleasures she does have in order to express her gratitude and bring a smile to her teacher's face.

Research has shown that those who are poor tend to be more generous with their giving than those who are wealthy.

One might assume that a person who has very little would be inclined to hold onto it, while those who have plenty would be more willing to let things go. But that's often not the case. Berkeley psychology researcher Paul Piff conducted a published study that found that people of lower socioeconomic means were more willing to give what they had, while the richer tended to be more miserly.

And not all giving is equally sacrificial. When you consider how much greater a burden $5 or $10 is to someone struggling to put food on the table compared to someone with a five-figure savings account, a small gift from someone of lesser means is actually a lot more generous than it would be from their wealthier counterparts.

And when you have no money with which to buy a gift and have to get creative with what you have? That's when a present means the most. The spirit of giving is alive and well in this thoughtful student, and whoever is raising her deserve some praise.

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