When people exchange the gifts that they
are with one another, there is friendship. Friendship means that
we give and are given, that we receive and are received. In friendship
we cherish without possessing, we encourage without forcing, we hold one
another gently with open hands.
People are gifts, sent gift wrapped.
Some are wrapped delicately as if to say, "handle with care!" Some
have been mishandled in the mail and their wrapping is torn. Some
are wrapped tightly and knotted as if to say "please do not look inside!"
Some are loosely wrapped and want to be opened. But the wrapping
is NOT the gift. People in my life are gifts to me. Sometimes
the gift is very easy to open. Sometimes the gift is afraid to be
opened. (Maybe they have been opened up before and thrown away!)
I never want to tear the wrapping, I want to be very gentle. Oh, that all of us could be in lots of
circles! Then we will see ourselves and others as gifts!