I give generously to those in need.

Charity warehouses spend a fortune disposing of things people were pleased to donate - broken toasters, ski gear, single shoes. Generosity aimed at making the giver feel lighter tends to arrive as somebody else's disposal cost.

Generous in the useful sense means asking what is actually needed and then handing that over, even when the answer is boring. It is nearly always the boring answer: money for the fuel bill, a lift to an appointment, an afternoon of somebody's admin. Less to photograph, considerably more use.