Gifts

        "Soon there will be many gifts, or in some cases an absence of gifts painfully felt. They are piled up under trees in one magnificent display of giving. Some will be perfect, others will bring disappointment. They will be received in various ways and with various degrees of appreciation. Some will touch the heart of the receiver as the feeling behind the gift is wrapped with it as if it is part of the package.

        Some are sad today because gifts cannot be given in the amount they wish. If only, even with one gift, we could give with the love or warmth or spirit connecting in a true way, and if that gift could be accepted as such, the amount or price of the gift would not matter. Too often we want to see tangible expressions of love or appreciation. Too often we could more readily express the true meaning of giving in intangible ways, but unfortunately it would not be as well accepted. If we give with the thought of an expression instead of desire or cost, how would it change? What are we expressing? What are we giving in intangible form as we give material things? Is it just habit, an accepted thing that is done or do we have pleasure and warmth in the giving?

        Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could wrap 'intangibles'. Here is a box of love, here is a box of warmth, or understanding, support, kindness, trust, sympathy, friendship or acceptance. If we could give it and see it in a tangible form, how different our holiday would be. If our gifts represent the intangibles and it is given with the heart, it truly does not matter how much the gift costs or its size. If we cannot see or feel the intangible that goes along with the gift, then we miss the message of the gift. We miss the chance to truly share in the giving, for to receive in an open way is part of sharing in the giving. If we focus on what is inside the box or how it compares we have shifted the focus to self. True giving is a combining of the feelings of the giver reaching out and joining with the feelings of the receiver. It is sharing, that is the true way of giving. And the nice thing about sharing is that it is not limited to one day or one month or one year. Perhaps we need to expand our imagination and gift wrap our sharing throughout the year so that it is not limited in expression to one day or season. For behind it all, is the biggest, best gift that can be given and that is the gift of self.

        Love one another with your gifts of sharing."